2018 Activities and Goal!

2022.10.01-10.03 Shunichi Ikeda + Genki Watanabe Koyasan (Wakayama Prefecture), a sacred site of Japanese Buddhism with a history of 1,200 years, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2004 and again in 2016, and is one of the world’s most renowned religious cities. It is also a popular tourist destination, attracting many international visitors prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the distinctive light environment created by the numerous temples and shrines, as well as through the experience of staying at temple lodgings (shukubō), we conducted an investigation into this extraordinary lighting culture from the perspective of the Lighting Detectives. Koyasan is a town situated in a mountain basin at an altitude of 800 meters, surrounded by peaks of around 1,000 meters in northern Wakayama Prefecture. It was founded about 1,200 years ago, in the early Heian period, by the Buddhist monk Kōbō Daishi (Kūkai) as a sacred site of Japanese Buddhism, with Danjō Garan serving as the central temple complex of this religious city.Originally, the entire area of Koyasan was considered part of the grounds of Kongōbu-ji Temple.For us, this was the first time to focus on a religious city in an urban lighting survey. We wanted to examine what the nightscape of this temple town looks like and how the lighting culture of Japan and Buddhism manifests itself in various aspects. ■Okunoin, Kongōbu-ji, Head Temple of Koyasan Shingon Buddhism Okunoin is an expansive cemetery stretching about 2…

2018/09/30-10/08 Shosaku Takahashi + Masafumi Yamamoto Morocco is located on the African continent but retains a strong influence from European countries such as neighboring Spain and France. It can be said that the cities have been formed under the influence of various cultures. This survey started in the major city of Marrakech, crossed the Atlas Mountains to visit the vast Sahara Desert inland, and then continued for ten hours and another 600 kilometers across the continent to reach the blue city of Chefchaouen. We experienced the climate, culture, and lifestyle of this country, which shines on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea while benefiting from the sun, and investigated the relationship between lighting and people’s lives. Djemaa el-Fna Square Many of the Old Town’s paths are covered with sunscreens The souk is bustling with people at night People watching street performers ■Arrival in MarrakechAfter driving four hours from Casablanca Airport, we saw the reddish-clay streetscape of the major city of Marrakech pop up in the middle of the wilderness. The moment we got out of the car in the old town, swarms of flies started hitting our bodies. The smell of rotting fruit and raw fish stung our noses. Crowds of people moved through the narrow alleyways, as motorcycles sped past, honking their horns. The air was thick with dust and exhaust fumes. Flies immediately swarmed the tuna sandwich we bought from a nearby stand for a late lunch. ■Old…

Date of Issue: October 24, 2025・Activity 1 / City Night Survey : Toyosu, Tokyo（2025.06.26）・Activity 2 / Kaoru Mende / Lighting Design Workshop（2025.09.13-09.15） City Night Survey : Toyosu, Tokyo2025.06.26 Yumi Honda +Qiaoxi Wang+ Momoe Nomura We observed and recorded the nighttime light environment of the newly developed commercial complex Senkyaku Banrai in the Tokyo Bay Area and its surrounding public spaces (green plaza, station area, and Gururi Park). We conducted a multifaceted analysis, including the placement of lighting fixtures, illuminance, and the impression of the space, to determine how light affects the atmosphere of the facility and the city in the Toyosu area, which is being developed as a tourist hub. The Toyosu area is a point of interest where the latest urban spaces and the lively atmosphere of shitamachi (old downtown) coexist due to redevelopment. We walked through the area around Toyosu Market Station, the green plaza, and Gururi Park, observing how light design impacts the impression, comfort, and safety of the town. ■Senkyaku Banrai Senkyaku Banrai is a commercial facility that opened in 2024 next to the Toyosu Market. It’s a spot where both tourists and local residents can enjoy the array of restaurants and souvenir shops. Through architecture and lighting design incorporating traditional Japanese motifs, it exudes a uniquely Japanese warmth and vitality, even within the contemporary urban nightscape. The lighting plan inside the facility is unified, as befitting a new commercial complex, and was designed with both…

2014.10.02-10.05　　　　　　　 The 11th Forum was held in Madrid, Spain. A city with very old history, however, the theme was〝NEW CITY_NEW PEOPLE_NEW”and we talked with Madrid residents about the city’s lighting now and in the future. Symposium Talk Show Pre-event – Talk Show A panel of 5 Lighting Detectives and 8 local Madrid artists, designers, and creators each gave a short 10 minute talk. Ｄａｙ１ Orientation Orientation began with the introduction of the Lighting Detectives and members, the purpose of city walks, and how city walks are conducted. Participants were then divided into 4 groups to discuss chosen survey areas. Students who did preliminary surveys of the areas explained theories on lighting heroes and villains and discussed the basic lighting environment. Initucion Libre de Ensenaza Orientation Night Walk After discussing possible problems in the 4 areas, the groups set off on their 3-hour city walks. Surprisingly, all groups had a difficult time finding lighting heroes. After discussing possible problems in the 4 areas, the groups set off on their 3-hour city walks. Surprisingly, all groups had a difficult time finding lighting heroes. Team 1: Triball Triball is an area which has mixed characteristic located in the city center of Madrid. There are streets with high brand stores and department stores as well as streets with many prostitutes standing. They are all happens in the same district. We could find variety of phenomenon here. Team 2:The Casa de Campo The Casa de…

Interviewer: Chia Xing Chia Xing: Mr. Mende, how did you feel when you got your first house? Mende: My first house after getting married 48 years ago, is a reasonably small condominium and that was also when I just started as a lighting designer. At that time, I thought I must do something special for the house. But I did not have much money to spend, so I decided to do more for the flexible interior. How about your house? Is your house a condominium? Chia Xing: My upcoming house is a HDB flat, which is Government-subsidised public housing for Singaporeans. In Singapore, it is rather difficult to get a completely new house as we are required to go through a bidding system. I got the bid for this house 6 years ago. The house was supposed to be completed by this year but due to Covid, it got delayed. Mende: Are you going to renovate your house? It must be exciting. Chia Xing: Yes! It is exciting as there are some expectations to the house lighting as I am a lighting designer. Mende: How many rooms are there in the house? Chia Xing: This is the layout of our house. We have 3 bedrooms, but I am thinking of removing one bedroom to make the living room bigger. My husband and I like to host gatherings, so we prefer a larger living room to have more space for guests to hang out. This is…