Vote for Hero and Villain

Ever since the new library was finished I have wanted to go and see it, so 15 members of the Lighting Detectives gathered around dusk for the Tama Art U. campus version of a city walking tour. It is well known that the architect is Toyo Ito and furniture designed by Kazuko Fujie, but for the past 10 years Professor Satoshi Tabuchi has been coordinating the architectural and developmental planning of Tama Art U. Campus. In spite of his busy schedule Prof. Tabuchi was able to give the Lighting Detectives a private campus tour. The library was built on a hill and the first floor slopes with this natural incline. It was a little bit peculiar and although, I have experienced a non-horizontal park built by Arakawa + Gin before, a sloping floor aroused a slight strangeness. I was taken back to the feeling of running around in the sandlot as a child or walking uphill on a faraway. However, while the floor is sloping, all of the tabletops are level. As you sit and concentrate on your work or books you just forget about the sloping floor underfoot. Since we are the Lighting Detectives, out came the luminance meters to calculate floor, table top, vertical, ect. lux levels. I forgot the exact numbers, but tabletop luminance levels were right around 400 lux. This is a good number for super ambient up lighting to the ceiling. Floor lamps with oversized…

Date of Issue: 16 January, 2024 -Activity 1 /Lighting Survey: Nepal（2023.11.12-11.14） -Activity 2 / Children Workshop Experiencing Old Traditional Japanese house in Chiba (2023.11.25-11.26) Lighting Detecdtives Newsletter Vol.127 Download PDF Lighting Survey: Nepal 2023.11.12 – 2023.11.14 Mayumi Banno Xianyu Liu (Flower) Kathmandu Valley, a World Heritage Site encompassing Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur; how is the city faring now after the devastating earthquake of 2015? During Tihar, Nepal’s festival of lights, we visited the capital city of Kathmandu and the adjacent ancient city of Bhaktapur. ■IntroductionHow are Nepal’s cities faring after the 2015 earthquake? During Tihar, Nepal’s festival of lights, we visited the capital city of Kathmandu and the adjacent ancient city of Bhaktapur to explore the reconstruction and the lighting environment during the festival. From the plane overlooking the whole of Nepal, shocked by the twinkling lights of the stars. Nepal is a country with a high national happiness index, but it is also very poor. But when I saw this from the plane, I was surprised, I thought Nepal would have no lights, or very little lights. Later, I heard local people say that because it is the New Year, every family will prepare the colored lights, decoration, and create a lively atmosphere. (Flower) ■KathmanduKathmandu is located at an altitude of about 1,400 meters. In mid-November, when we visited, the days were hot and sunny, but the nights were cooler than 10 degrees Celsius. The city was filled with the…

The 51st Regular Round Table Discussion＠Tanteidan Office 01. April 2016　　Noriko Higashi We reviewed the Yokohama Bashamichi and Isezaki-cho city night walk held in March 2016. Cherry river was the best hero. The original plan was to walk in two areas, two groups each, but one of the groups went off the course together with Isezaki Mall and so they summarized the experiences as well. A group took a vote. A group made their questionnaire and the member answered. Summary of the shop lightings in Bashamichi. The major comment on Bashamichi was the lack of proper night scape planning. Glary spilled light from shops were disturbing the view, and feature buildings and key functions such as zebra crossings were left unlit. The old gas lamps would have created a nice scenery in this area if lighting plan had been done properly. Another comment was on the contrast of bright and dark spots; it was good that the entire area was not too bright, but some spots were too dim to walk comfortably. Many also pointed that historical buildings should be enhanced by lighting. Some shops and streets had good lighting, and those were introduced as heroes of light. All the participants were disappointed that the special feature of gas lamps were not used in the best way. The groups from Isezaki-cho mostly commented that Isezaki was not so sophisticated as Omotesando, but the combination of chaotic, heartwarming and nostalgic lighting environment…

Theme:　Media Walls and facade Lighting Interviewer:　Kyoko Takubo Issued on October 31, 2011 Kyoko:Mr. Mende, today I have a problem and, if you don`t mind, I would like to ask for your advice. On a recent project, the client has requested a media wall style façade. To me, it seems that the client is not just asking for simple signage, but something I never expected from this particular project. Instead of a media wall, I want to design façade lighting that is more artistic and stylish. What do you think? Can a media wall be artistically beautiful? Mende:Maybe, but the sole purpose of lighting design is not just designing beautiful nightscapes. If the client wants a design that draws in people, just beauty alone will not attract people. I don`t think we can call the project a success if nobody comes. Kyoko: So I should design a place people will want to come to? Mende: Commercial lighting design is not just about beauty. Rather because of the lighting design, the buying, selling and excitement of the area is what is demanded. It’s a delicate balance. Sometimes people are drawn to rather ugly places, however just because that is the case doesn`t mean that you should be able to design whatever you want. In commercial design sometimes the slightly wacky has just enough charm to draw in a crowd. However, as lighting designers, we can add fun and awe and make the…

Date of Issue: June 18, 2025・Activity 1/ City Night Survey: Chandigarh, India（2025.01.15-01.19）・Activity 2/ City Night Survey: Hida Furukawa, Furukawa Festival （2025.04.19）・Activity 3/ Night Walk Vol.76: Tachikawa（2025.04.25）・Activity 4/ Round Table Discussion Vol.73: Review on Tachikawa（2025.05.27） City Night Survey: Chandigarh, India2025.01.15-01.19 Masafumi Yamamoto + Yuichi Anzai About 65 years ago, a vast area at the foothills of the Himalayas was divided into districts for government functions, commerce, education, and residences, with separated roads, creating a landscape completely different from other Indian cities. This survey takes a multifaceted approach to examine Chandigarh’s urban lighting and nightscape, while observing the natural light expressions inspired by Le Corbusier’s architecture. ■Light RaysFirst, I quote the words of Le Corbusier:“Chandigarh is planned on a human scale. It connects to the infinite universe and nature. It is a place for all human activities where citizens can live a rich and harmonious life. Here, the radiance of nature and the heart is within our reach.”A vast paved ground is moistened by a dense white mist. About 180 meters ahead from where I stand, the High Court building faintly appears. Its enormous facade faces east and west. The sky behind peeks from beneath the portico, and the rays of light passing through it gently caress the huge concrete pillars painted red, yellow, and green, casting the morning sun on the ground. In this city, I encountered several lyrical daylight scenes. I believe this is because the philosophy of Atelier Le Corbusier in Paris, who…