Chapters 1 to 11 Combined - Century City

LIGHTING POLICYExterior lighting is required forvisibility and safety at night, butlighting must also help to promotethe vision of Century City as an areawhere people will live, work andplay. Apart from helping people findtheir way around at night, lightingcan identify major elements so thatpeople can recognize familiarfeatures of the daytime scene.However different levels and typesof lighting are appropriate atdifferent locations.Lighting within an urban context hasfour distinct functions:1. Illumination of roads. Theillumination of roads, junctionsand parking areas helps toensure safer use by vehiclesand pedestrians. This lightingis usually pole mounted andnational standards existgoverning specifications.2. Security Lighting. Theillumination of open spaceshelps to enhance the personalsecurity of pedestrians,prevent dark corners andimprove visibility, and so detercrime. This lighting is usuallypole mounted.3. Signage Illumination. This isused to light up signage, roadnames and information tomake these legible at night.This lighting usually consists ofbuilt–in light fittings or uplighters.4. Lighting effects. Lighting may beused in such a manner as toenhance the appearance andimpact of individual buildings orcivic spaces. Lighting may varyfrom up-lighting of mature trees,flood lighting of buildings,arrangements of street lights,fairy lights and decorative sensualpanels that come in many formsand colours.Along streets and major pedestriancorridors a good level of lighting isnecessary. On local roads and internalwalkways a more ambient form oflighting provides a softer moreattractive effect. Individual buildingsshould have door or post lamps tohighlight entrances. Shrubs and treescan be lit up with good results. Lightscan convey a sense of warmth andactivity, but should not be toooverpowering, and should not detractfrom the general amenity by being toodominant or compete with lights fromother buildings. Floodlighting of emptybuildings for “effect” should be avoidedbecause such lighting often emphasizesthe absence of people. Unless they aresymbolic landmarks, buildings shouldpreferably be lit from inside and outdoorlights should focus on where people aregathering or need to see.In general civic lighting can have abeneficial effect on the cityscape, itssafety and attractiveness. Care must betaken to avoid light pollution of thenight sky and address issues of energysustainability. Individual fittings shouldbe engineered so as not to spill lightunnecessarily by using pan tops,louvres and shields. Low energycompact florescent bulbs help toincrease energy efficiency in manycases.Lighting is a fundamental physicaland psychological part of city life andits use should be considered in termsof integrated design andperformance parameters according todifferent urban spaces. The patternof exterior lighting will have a majoreffect on the night landscape andmust be considered in the design ofbuildings and landscape areas.Information may be required toillustrate the impact of such lightingas part of the design review process.It must be recognized that darknessis a necessary contrast for the play oflight on the night time landscape andoverwhelming lighting effects candetract from the liveability of thearea.PLANNING PARTNERS: CENTURY CITY URBAN DESIGN FRAMEWORK October 2005 50 REVISION 1