Zurich

2023.01.26-01.29　Masafumi Yamamoto + Yuki Ito　 Okinawa is a place where diverse cultures and histories are intertwined. In Okinawa, each region has its own unique streetscape, and this is due to the fact that each region has a completely different historical background. The following is a simplified explanation of the historical background of each area. The Naha area was severely damaged in the war and was rebuilt; the Koza area was influenced by the U.S. military base and retains a strong American culture; and the Bise and Imadomari areas retain the traditional streets of the Ryukyu Islands. By comparing the light environment of each area, this survey sought to determine what kind of lifestyle culture and light features each area has, and what kind of light is unique to Okinawa. ■Sakae-machi MarketSakae-machi Market, located in Naha City, is a shopping street that was established during the postwar reconstruction period and has remained almost unchanged since then. Today, the market is a lively place where locals gather during the daytime, but at night it transforms into a more local haunt, drinking district that is quite different from the impression it gives during the daytime. The only light at night is from the taverns and the faint fluorescent lights in the upper part of the shopping street. (Floor illumination: approx. 20 lx) The illuminance alone gives the impression of dimness, but the actual atmosphere was not as dark as the impression given by…

23 October, 2009 TV commercials featuring famous teenage heartthrobs are dissolving the trashy image of horseracing and making it more accessible to the public. For a change of pace, the Lighting Detectives gathered at Tokyo City Keiba for the Twinkle Race. Galloping full speed around the track or walking gracefully in the paddock, lights blazed down on the thoroughbreds during race operation hours and the Lighting Detectives were there to capture and record it all. Enormous Lights Illuminated the Racetrack Metal halide floodlights are crammed together in a perfectly straight line to brightly illuminate the racetrack. Club members were caught with gaping mouths, as they turned away from the racetrack towards the stands and immediately were blinded by the lethal amount of light. Without thinking, Chief dug in his bag for his luxmeter. Without much effort, trackside vertical luminance was over 1000 lux. With that many fixtures there has to be excessive light shining on the track and also going every which way, but taking a look around only the track seems to be brightly lit. Hmmmmmm… Moving away from the track the glare seems to be minimal. Aha, the lamps must be super narrow beam lamps! 2009 Illumination: Shogo Kariyazaki x Fantastic Canvas When racing is not in progress, images under the theme “The subtle changing and colorful show of seasonally blooming trees and flowers,” created in collaboration with flower artist, Shogo Kariyazaki, are projected on a HUGE 8m…

The thoughts and ideas of Poul Henningsen seem to be present throughout the streets of Copenhagen. Co-existing soft, tender light and natural light combine to create a nightscape in Copenhagen that reminds us technology is not always the answer. The catenary lights strung across Stroget Plaza and warm light from the surrounding windows gives a striking appearance to the plaza. The sidewalks along Stroget wrapped in the blue moment. At dusk, PH (Poul Henningsen) lamps are visible though living room windows, as time seems to slow down for the evening.

Ljubljana, the self-contained capital of Slovenia has a charming old cityscape made up of buildings topped with red tiled roofs. At dusk, people flock to the Ljubljana River to rest after a busy day and watch the lights come on over the city. Many historical buildings are lit up in this compact downtown, with other lights here and there creating a comfortable rhythm of lighting and darkness. The Tomostovje Bridge designed by Jose Plecnik connects the old city with the new city. Of all the bridges over the Ljubljana River, this is the one most central and with the most foot traffic. The orange lit facade of the Franciskanska Church next to the Presernov Plaza is visible from the bridge.。 Leaving the Presernov Plaza behind, the smaller streets are cloaked in darkness. Shop windows are dimly lit and a few neon signs are aglow down the street. View of the city from Ljubljanski Grad. From the darkness, activity along the river and the illumination of some main buildings creates axis of light across the city.

Already it has been seven years since I started to teach in the Department of Scenography, Display, and Fashion Design at Musashino Art University. Of course, I am not only teaching my students about lighting design, but the third-year students who choose my seminar class observe society and work on projects through a filter of “light”. This could be a politically biased education, but lighting is absolutely necessary in every aspect of our lives. Particularly in this department, I can’t image scenography, display, or fashion design without light and if my politically biased lighting education helps to nurture a unique human resource then fantastic! This year, with my third-year students in tow, we visited Iwamuro Hot Spring in Niigata Prefecture a number of times to work on a lighting project to boost economic development in the area. You can think of this as a modern group project by Musashino Art U. for the economical development of this hot spring town. From street planning, graphic design, and souvenirs to street furniture and the soundscape, we have incorporated a wide range of variables as we push this project along. Our team prose was “A Lighting Plan for Environmental Design” employed with proposals for extensive lighting designs. On two of our three previous trips, we surveyed the area and did lighting experiments. For the future of Iwamuro Hot Springs it is uncertain what kind of lighting they will propose, but my students were…