In 2001, for their 20th anniversary issue Metropolis magazine’s back page featured several architects’ and designers’ quick visions for future designs or objects. Then, much public space was built as a result of private developer incentives – and meanly edged with serrated metal bars and spikes.  Those were the days when benches were removed from subway stations. Now, in the age of Google Streetview and a increasingly laser-like focus on pedestrianization, my vision of a “mapping device” that identifies “negative spaces” such as forecourts, sidewalks and parking lots – which was not all that exciting or commonly shared value then — seems prescient. Next, connecting up atmospheres and activities through electronic controls. A scenography of public light and life. #urbandesign #nighttimedesign #activedesign #publiclighting #streetscape #urbanlight #Lighting

On October 7, Leni presented her take on pedestrian lighting with walkability advocates from Poland. This is an opportunity to gain insights from one of the rare handbooks on pedestrian lighting. Frank Markowitz & Leni Schwendinger discuss 'Outdoor Lighting for Pedestrians: A Guide for Safe & Walkable Places' with Annika Lundkvist, founder of the Global Walkability Correspondents Network Networkroundtable series.

International Nighttime Design Initiative Guidance for towns and cities converting to LED street lights, buying back lights from utilities and starting-up smart city technologies The convergence of energy saving, responsive technologies, and ownership of data and infrastructure, is being debated across the nation. In parallel, issues of public space equity and social cohesion are in flux. These seemingly disparate challenges are addressed in the Guidebook. The Municipal Smart City Street Light Conversion & Evolving Technology Guidebook was commissioned by the Capital District Transportation Committee to address issues of street light ownership, the streamlining of municipal services, and economic benefits for New York State. Planning 4Places collaborated with International Nighttime Design Initiative (NTD). The City of Saratoga Springs was the case study site. “Our intent was to provide Guidelines proposing a unique hybrid of design, policy, technological and social inputs to the growing field of smart cities applications,” said Leni Schwendinger, the book’s content director and leader of the International Nighttime Design Initiative. “As cities and towns across the region convert/upgrade their street lights to energy-saving LED, they must consider and balance lighting quality, safety, after-dark social issues, digital infrastructure, and economic considerations.” Thank you for participating in our luminous world. We are open to collaborations. Don't be shy about getting in touch Email Leni here

The $1.2 trillion U.S. infrastructure bill promises to help deliver large-scale, well-funded projects for years to come. Five lighting designers told us what they’d do with a slice of the pie. Affordable housing in underfunded cities. Roads and bridges for essential workers. Better yet, improved public transportation for everyone. Following passage of the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in November 2021, lists of critical infrastructure projects—those that should be prioritized—began to pop up in nearly every publication. A quick Google search yields results broken down by region, price tag, type, impact…and the list goes on. So, LD+A took a different approach. Instead of asking lighting designers to point out the most critical infrastructure projects, we asked them to tell us about their dream infrastructure projects. ...we asked, “What infrastructure project would you light if you had the power of the purse strings?” As it happens, our respondents still prioritized helping people. Nothing on the “wish list” that follows is purely aesthetic. However, a bit of ambient illumination here, a touch of daylight there or—dare we say—a whole lot of lighting style throughout, can certainly up a project’s ante. For the following lighting designer, that effect is precisely what dreams are made of. Samantha Schwirck For the entire Issu version see this: https://7aa7074b.flowpaper.com/036063255207/#page=22 My dream builds upon hybrid principles: art and activism through lighting design and community engagement. Here, I propose a public housing co-design initiative. Envision smart lighting integrated with community participation. A theatrical approach to atmospheres made of color and intensity defines spaces. Community members research social and existing conditions, have input on design and learn by doing. Working alongside the design team would be a Citizen Advisory Lighting Corps (CALC). The CALC mirrors the subject area, including a variety of ages, local roles and diverse demographics. The involvement of partners and decision makers, such as municipal representatives and a university’s urban research or planning division, are instrumental. Community-based planning and design necessitates collaboration. Benefits include: Spatial character is identified: existing and aspirational conditions Capacity building: professionals and community members plan lighting scenarios together Citizens are engaged in creative decision making—culminating in a sense of belonging Community co-evaluation of lighting quality and local responses over time underpins future programming adjustments The diagram (below) illustrates the end-result scenario for a typical New York public housing courtyard. Qualitative social research has already taken place through interviews, workshops and discussions. It is revealed that after dark, women are afraid to use the diagonal path although it is a practical shortcut to the corner grocery store. The basketball court, although it has functional lighting, is never switched on because of the nuisance: teenage noise and congregation. The plaza is empty of welcoming amenities even beyond quality illumination, such as greenery, comfortable seating, path paving and cultural amenities. Programmed, connected lighting is agreed upon by CALC. After the new design is implemented, examples above and beyond threshold levels of safety are regularly evaluated and improved. Path: After new paving and lighting are installed, path usage measurement and interviews during times of day and night are undertaken. Basketball Court: Testing includes trial periods for illumination. The lighting is programmed and can be changed to more or fewer evenings and duration. Poet’s Corner and Sitting Area: Other timed experiments are conducted for the Poet’s Corner and Sitting Area, with varied brightness, color and on-off periods. These characteristics are set after evaluation reports. Community-informed public design generally requires a transdisciplinary approach. This pilot requires street and landscape design professionals, community engagement professionals and lighting designers. It is time to harness high tech in service to our lives on the ground. This is one challenging, yet joyful step, in that direction. Community-Designed Public Housing

Lanterns are beloved by many cultures. They float on water and air, they are hand-made or manufactured of silk or paper. Some are pumpkins and others are paper bags. Light sources are flame and electricity. Lanterns cast color and patterned light for celebrations and fetivals. City lanterns may be wrought iron with textured glass. At Leni Schwendinger Light Projects the lantern form is respected for its versatility and sense of magic. In the her quote, Rebecca Solnit refers to the mythological light of wisdom and love. Lighting Strategy Launch Points Establish lighting and nighttime objectives through an envisioning program Convene a working party to include a lighting designer, urban designer and community stakeholders Study existing conditions through a Shades of Night analysis Identify the most important themes, e.g. district identity, street & sidewalk safety, enhancing after-dark public spaces, accessibility, equity, more joy at night, cycle-lane visibility, landmark & historic facades Obtain feedback from community and stakeholders Develop strategy through mapping, sketches, and consultation from experts such as retail, space activators, engineers, especially transportation — depending on the use types of your study district Special tip: keep the lantern image and symbology alive throughout your process, see video below Sample Lighting Objectives Report ! Identify solutions with Leni

In the Rue Morgue story, Mr. Poe further elucidates walking in the after-dark city. The narrator points out that “the infinity of mental excitement” during this urban experience also encourages solo “quiet observation”. At Light Projects, we feel that camaraderie – streets -- and the potential of anonymity – parks -- are both valuable. Explore the qualities of the nighttime city by: Participating in a NightSeeing™ workshop Launching your city, town or neighborhood after-dark envisioning process Captivating your conference audience with NightSeeing™ — as a stand-alone event

I believe that the most effective urban lighting hybridizes the poetry of night with the technology of light. Let us be your guide through four steps to integrate illumination and nighttime design into your projects. SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT leni@nightseeing.net Photo: Kelli Hayden Photography In 2019, we conducted six NightSeeing Programs around the globe. For Downtown Santa Monica, the walking tour and workshop supported Third Street Promenade master plan efforts. Smart City Street Light Conversion & Evolving Technology Guidebook commissioned by New York State's Capital District Transportation Committee and in collaboration with Planning4Places is currently in progress. The guidebook will identify LED smart technology to advance sustainability goals. Photo: NYC Department of Transportation El-Space: Creating Dynamic Spaces Under the Elevated NYC Department of Transportation and Industry City in partnership with the Design Trust for Public Space As the Design Trust for Public Space, El-Space lighting fellow, Leni collaborated with urban designer, Quilian Riano, and landscape architect, Tricia Martin to provide a replicable, prototype in Brooklyn. A highly traversed path, from the subway to Industry City for workers, and to the waterfront for visitors and residents the illuminated evening experience was rated number one in visitor surveys. The El-Space Toolkit is a multi-media resource for planning, design, and operation of typical elevated, underused spaces. Photo: Philippe Ruault Zaryadye Park Architecture: Diller Scofidio & Renfro | Landscape Architect: Hargreaves Leni Schwendinger Light Projects' illumination concepts parallel the landscape and architectural principles. Lighting creates starry-light webs to mark destinations. Custom light-poles add a series of graceful markers to delineate pathways. Illumination concepts included visualization of Russia's geographical typologies and interpretive measures of heat and cold through varied displays.

Dear Friends and Colleagues, Goethe reminds us that, inevitably, light and shadow work together. Is his pronouncement emotional and introspective? Aesthetic? A warning? Fear or poetry–are they opposites? For you, an urbanist concerned with city design, safety, public health, and economic development, contrast is key. This is my tip: Application of light in the public realm is a matter of proportion, pattern and texture. Designing safe and delightful city nights requires an aesthetic eye combined with social awareness and refined use of technology. Our goal is to create welcome experiences for citizens in their daily moves through the darkened hours, whether medical worker or culture-lover, rubbish collector or midnight walker. With light and shadow, I propose to transform nighttime hours into inclusive places, based on local usage of the dusk to dawn hours. From envisioning and light strategies to pilots and implementation contact me for placemaking after-dark guidance. Let's ponder the nocturnal landscape, dark and bright, together. Yours truly, Leni Schwendinger

Visit the re-energized Leni Schwendinger Light Projects website Feast your eyes, intellect and imagination on images and text about the possibilities of light and night. You are welcomed to innovate with Leni – Urbanist | Designer | Artist The hours from dusk to dawn, in public space, deserve a special urban planning and design approach. During the virus pandemic, with focus on essential labor — medical, transit, cleaning, call centers, to name a few — cities’ human, humming engine, nighttime design is critical. However, for public space design teams, urban lighting design is seldom listed as a key service with line-item fee budgets. Therefore primes consult with fixture representatives and engineers rather than peer designers. Welcome to my economic program especially to enhance structure, infrastructure and site design: Pre-design and Design – Stage 1. Full service concept to construction administration is also available, see Design – Stages 2 and 3. Leni Schwendinger Light Projects: Features – Public Art As a sole-proprietor, woman-owned enterprise (WBE), with over 20-years of experience, Leni Schwendinger Light Projects offers upper-level illumination design services to ensure quality nighttime experiences for end users through guidance, collaboration and advisement for landscape architecture and urban design clients. Leni Schwendinger Light Projects: Parks and Waterfronts In-depth technical assistance is available as needed. Design Development (Stage 2) and CD phase (Stage 3) options include coordinated hand-off to the prime’s choice: Internal design staff Team electrical engineer Manufacture representatives Leni Schwendinger Light Projects’ partner technical team Key services – Existing conditions – Community engagement if needed – Develop concepts to match architectural design themes – Basis of Design Report (Schematic) – Review and Comment (Final Design) – Commissioning Pre-design Site visit Existing conditions report NightSeeing Program: Community and stakeholder interaction Recommendations – night and light principles Design Stage 1 – Schematic Design workshop guidance Including precedents, examples Relevant case studies Concept/Schematic Basis of Design consisting of: Sketches Rendered site plan Rendered design for specifics – section/elevation as needed Fixture Families Design Stage 2 – Design Development through Construction Documentation Review, comment, answer questions throughout final design process Design Stage 3 – On-site commissioning Supervise aim and adjust Supervise level setting and states (control system) Leni Schwendinger Light Projects: Transit Add a qualified WBE urban lighting designer to your design team. Download certifications here. Schwendinger New York City WBE CertificationDownload Schwendinger New York State WBE CertificateDownload Schwendinger Port Authority WBE CertificationDownload Schwendinger Design Practice Services DocumentDownload #urbanplanning #designprofessionals #lightingdesign #urbanlight #innovation

Celebrating one year of formation, since August 2017, key members of the Smart Everyday Nighttime Design research team have discussed and connected to evolve the key principles of Nighttime Design (NTD). These three pillars are encapsulated in our graphic. Principles: The overview – Prague – Monocle interview (6 min) We caught up with Schwendinger, one of the world’s leading voices on the impact lighting can have in our cities. Process: Envisioning Method – Sydney Video: Agile Nighttime Envisioning Workshop (8 min) This crucial initiative for lighting master plan development enables stakeholders to define nighttime objectives. Here, watch the step-by-step process in Double Bay (Sydney, Australia) with mayors, councilors and local business owners participating in the three-hour module. Pilot: Localization – Cartagena : City Lab: Building Community Through Better Street Lights (Video-scroll down, 6 min) What can lighting do for a community? For some fascinating answers, just look at the results of one pilot research project in Cartagena, Colombia. #design #research #sustainable #innovation #resources