Putrajaya has been developed as the new center for government since its functional move from the former capital Kuala Lumpur. The city planning is very representative of the nation’s authority and symbolic in nature with a very elaborate li…

Georgetown is a town with a very colonial atmosphere. The entire city still has many surviving historical landmarks from its period of British rule and a collective colonial feel to its cityscape. However, it is very different then the beau…

Kuala Lumpur is one of the major cities of Southeast Asia. Recent economic grow has transformed the city, with numerous skyscrapers now dotting the skyline. The outdoor market is a conglomeration of people who seem to naturally congregate h…

Kisyamichi Promonade, Yokohama 14 November 2008 Light Up Ninja Yokohama Team on initial survey fieldwork trip. Voluteers and staff hard at work on the day of the event. Underwater lighting revealed pretty clear Yokohama Bay waters! Lanterns…

Taking a drive along the Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway is a great experience in the sequence of Tokyo light. In one drive you can catch glimpses of Tokyo Tower in between buildings, awe at the endless Ginza neon signage, and hide in the dar…

17 October During the year 2008-2009 the Lighting Detectives are hosting a three-part Salon Series focused on “Residential Lighting: Past, Present, and Future.” Part 2 of the series titled: “Is the Incandescent Lamp being Phased Out?” picke…

Jacob Ballas Children`s Garden of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, Singapore 11 October 2008 Archifest08 + Light Up Ninja Junior In conjunction with ‘Archifest 08’ event sponsored by the Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA), the Lighting D…

26 September 2008 The Lighting Detectives are always up to something unusual and for this city walk we rented a double-decker, open-air bus to cruise the streets of Tokyo. A specially planned route took us from Marunouchi→around the Imperia…

Saint Petersburg is a city of deep imperial and artistic culture. As the city was once the capital of the Russian Empire, many impressive palaces and cathedrals convey this great history. Although, there are not many newly constructed build…

During the day short sleeves are fine, but even the Russian summer nights are cool with a little bit of white breathe after the sun goes down. Many main roads run through the middle of Moscow with classic Stalin style architecture lining th…

The streets of Moscow are mostly buried in shadows except for a few groups of lucent buildings, maybe an expression of authority. During the intense commercial time bawdy lights are lost, along with street activity, and stillness returns to…

11 July The Lighting Detectives hosted the first of three salons focusing on residential lighting Friday, July 11th at the New Maru Building Ecozzeria. The hall was packed with over 100 guest who listened intently to the speakers who presen…

June 21, 2008 Sumer Solstice This was the 5th Annual Candlenight along Omotesando since the event was moved from nearby Cat Street. “Turn off the lights and take it slow” is the catch phrase for this familiar candle event. Two Japanese envi…

23 April 2008 On this cool, spring evening we took our city walk to the Hachioji Campus of the Tama Art University to investigate the new library, completed in the spring of 2007. Professor Satoshi Tabuchi, who has been coordinating the arc…

Roppongi has many faces including, an entertainment district with a foreign twist, new offices for daily business, and is developing as a center for the Tokyo art scene. The Lighting Detectives sped around on their bikes in April to discove…

Date: December 4th, 2007 Program: City Tour, Exhibition, Symposium Venue: Royal Acadamy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture in Copenhagen Transnational Tanteidan Forum 2007 in Copenhagen What started in Tokyo in 2002 is now in its 6th year…

Five main canals fan out from the central station to form the city of Amsterdam. In contrast to the nostalgic streetscape along the canals, newly redeveloped areas include modern Dutch architecture with a touch of humor. Because these build…

10 December 2007 Winter Blues Winter is a cold and quiet time where people gather indoors, drink hot cocoa or coffee, and maybe reflect on the year before and ahead. But Christmas in the city always gives us something to get out and about a…

A city for the young and young at heart, Shibuya. The area is composed of a mess of streets all with a different atmosphere, including a few main streets connected by narrower alleyways. Each street has developed its own personality and rol…

Because of previous colonial rule and occupation by Spain, USA, and Japan, many different cultures are accepted in the Philippines. As with architecture or cuisine, the uniquely arranged culture is also visible in the lighting environment. …