

Chong Qing Lighting Survey 重庆史光: Re-Celebrating History of Light 2019.07.04 – 2019.07.05 Clement Lee + Iwata Masahiro Located in the upstream of Yang Tze Basin, Chong Qing serves as one of the manufacturing, transportation and commercial hub of China. Caught within rapid infrastructure changes, this survey seeks to uncover the methods for Architectural and Lighting preservation efforts to reflect the ancient Clement Lee + Iwata Masahiro traditions from the dynasties. Ci Qi Kou Old Town highlighted with linear architecture facade lighting contrasting the light blue canvas sky of the evening Old town of Ci Qi Kou (磁器口): Cultural Hub of Chong Qing Chongqing is a technologically advanced city situated in the mountains of southwest China. With a rich history of being a major economic hub, Chong Qing was propelled to earn a place in the top 13 megalopolises of China. With the theme of understanding and exploring the cultural traditions of Chong Qing, we set out to discover its customs and efforts to preserve the rich traditions which create the unique character that separates this Sze Chuan-influenced province from the other major cities of China. We began at the heart of the city: the old district of Ci Qi Kou. This old town is currently filled with shops sells goods and traditional food of the old Chongqing. A modernized trading hub that reflects the bustling old port to trade porcelain along the Yangtze River. It was a commercial hub for pioneers back in the…
2025.01.15-01.19 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 designed this Capitol Complex, also extended to the urban layout. Until now, Chandigarh has been discussed mainly from an architectural viewpoint. However, I feel it has not been explored much from the perspective of…
The Paris nightscape has become a model for nightscapes around the world. Appreciation for the streets of Paris has helped to preserve and restore them to places of beauty during the day and at night. At night, the streets emerge as distinct axes of light and one wonders how far urban light planning will progress. Illuminated in white light, the La Grande Arche, gives the impression of a modern-day city. Set against a dark background, the lofty figure of the Eiffel Tower glows impressively. Looking towards Montparnasse from the top of the Eiffel Tower. The bright building in the center is Montparnasse Tower.
2025.11.09-11.14 Jiang Kunzhi + Lin Huangyi This survey aims to explore the interaction between Soviet culture and Islamic culture within the urban space of western Tashkent, with a particular focus on whether this cultural layering has given rise to region-specific lighting approaches and expressions of the luminous environment. Therefore, a systematic field survey and documentation were carried out across the urban areas of Tashkent. As the capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent reflects both Soviet modernism and Islamic architectural traditions. The city features large Soviet-era public buildings alongside religious architecture that blends tradition and modernity. In addition to above-ground buildings, this survey also examined the Tashkent Metro, Central Asia’s first metro system opened in 1977, where refined lighting and rich materials create museum-like underground spaces. (Jiang Kunzhi) ■Aerial night view of Tashkent Viewed from the TV Tower, Tashkent’s nightscape appears as a network of “lines” and “points” rather than a continuous illuminated façade. The road system forms the clearest visual structure: main roads and ring roads read as linear light bands, while bridges and major intersections appear as brighter nodes, creating a legible traffic framework over the city’s flat skyline. These linear elements strongly define the city’s sense of direction and scale. In contrast, most buildings remain dark at night, with their presence defined only by entrance lighting, limited window glow, and reflected ambient light. As a result, the overall background luminance stays low, allowing a few landmarks—such as tall structures or media…
2023.01.20-01.22 Yuichi Anzai+ Chuanyi Liu ■Kozushima Village Kozushima is located about 180 kilometers south of central Tokyo with a population of about 1,800. The terrain is complex, with almost no flat land. The village is located in the center of the island at the foot of Mt. Tenjo. The impetus for the starry sky protection activities on Kozushima came from a comment made during a student internship program by the Tourism Foundation in 2016, that the night sky was as beautiful as a planetarium. The starry sky, a common sight on the island, has become a tourism resource. An island-wide effort to protect the sky began. Specific efforts include replacing streetlights and security lights with fixtures with 0% upward luminous flux and 2,700K color temperature, holding explanatory meetings for residents and regular workshops with experts to gain their understanding and cooperation in light pollution and starry sky protection activities, training islanders as guides, and holding star gazing events to protect the night sky from light pollution and communicate the appeal of the starry sky both on and off the island. The island is also working to protect the night sky from light pollution and convey the charm of the starry sky to the public. The “Light Pollution Prevention Ordinance to Protect the Beautiful Starry Sky of Kozushima Village,” which specifies the responsibilities of residents and businesses to prevent light pollution, will be enacted in 2019, and rules are being developed to…

