The World Lighting Journey is a photo library of nightscapes and lighting environments from cities worldwide. Lighting Detectives hopes this database will be a catalyst for future discussion on urban lightscapes and local lighting culture. Lighting Detectives encourages all web viewers to send nightscape from your hometown to add to our ever-expanding photo library.

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Chicago O'Hare International Airport

Chicago O’Hare International Airport

Chicago O'Hare International Airport
Category: Other
Photo by: SHOMEI TANTEIDAN
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Chicago O'Hare International Airport
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GLOBAL RESEARCH

BUSAN, Korea

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New development and activity at the fishing port generate energy in Korea’s second largest city, Busan. In sharp contrast with the dark waters, stores with flashy neon signs edge the perimeter of the bay and people sit mesmerized along the beach, staring into the black ocean, as the summer nights slip by. Looking down on the city from Busan Tower. The Jagalchi Market, full of activity and the smell of fresh fish, is flooded with fluorescent light. Long into the night, people enjoy their time along Kwanghalli beach.

Myanmar

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2014.06.24-06.29　　　Ai Sohara+ Mami Ichida With the population of 60 million and the 2nd largest country in South East Asia, Myanmar has not yet been well-known to the world because of its isolated policy for over a half century. Reforming as a democratic nation in recent years, Myanmar is now developing very rapidly and its cities are witnessing fast urban growth. The survey was made to “unveil” the role of light in three different cities. Sulepaya, View from the Surepaya As darkness falls over Yangon, the former capital of Myanmar, golden pagodas enhance its majestic presence in contrast to the modest living environment. These brilliant pagodas symbolize the faith of the local people. Street light at Naypyidaw Nay Phi Taw, the vast but empty new capital, seems the only city without electrical problems. Unlike other cities, road and public facilities are built with lighting technology and are well maintained. View from the Shwesandaw Pagoda The winning light in Old Bagan, where almost no artificial light can be seen, is absolutely during dusk. Watching thousands of pagodas turning into silhouettes and eventually merging into darkness creates the impression as if you are traveling back to ancient times.

MANILA, Philippines

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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. But behind the bright lights and in the shadows, we also saw a gap in the standard of living. For many people the church is a stronghold in their lives. The walls of this church were brightly lit with fluorescent lights and for relief from the heat several fans are also mounted on the walls, a nightscape very familiar in Asia. The floodlights bath the facade in featureless, flat light. In the area of town where Spanish architecture is still preserved hang sodium lamps, giving everything, walls, ground, and buildings an orangish glow. The dark green vegetation by the day is lost, but the historical atmosphere of the street seems like a scene out of a period movie. In the poorer areas of the city burned out streetlights are everywhere, but in the wealthier areas high-rise apartments and office buildings stand tall and just like in any other big city, there is a lack of individualism in this nightscape. Compared to the intensity of light in adjacent neighborhoods, the economical gap is prominent.

HIROSHIMA

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It was 8:15 on the morning of August 6, 1945 when the first of two bombs dropped on Hiroshima then Nagasaki. Sixty-one years have passed since this memorable day and every year victims are remembered in a peace memorial ceremony attended by 50,000 people. On this night thousands of lanterns are placed in the Motoyasu River near the Hiroshima Peace Memorial as part of the remembrance and prayer for peace. As the main part of our lighting survey we wanted to see how these lanterns changed the face of city on this one night. We also visited Itsukushima Shinto Shrine and downtown Hiroshima. One of the World Cultural Heritage sites, Itsukushima Shinto Shrine. Unfortunately, the lighting is not the most faltering and lacks punch that could emphasis great architectural detail. However, looking from the bow of a boat past the large shrine gate, the main hall floats elusively in the surrounding darkness. This is the angle for a truly spiritual approach. Hiroshima Peace Memorial, a World Cultural Heritage site and the remains of a symbol of sacrifice and crime committed against humanity. Nearly buried by the surrounding city lights, but this dim gloom cast over the rubble suits its history and expresses it in the present day for all to remember. Full of prayers for peace and a symbol of remembrance, softly lit lanterns were set afloat, creating a new river of light. The lightscape created by the lanterns floating…

Lighting Survey: Chiang Mai Lantern Festival

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City Night Survey- Chiang Mai Lantern Festival 2023.11.25 – 11.29 Angkana Kongchatri (Tan)+Momoko Muraoka Chiang Mai is the second largest city in Thailand which has special atmosphere tracing from Lannar kingdom period. Tan from Bangkok and Momoko from Tokyo traveled to the city for a survey. ■Back ground of the survey The lantern festival in Chiang Mai has been getting very high attention from international tourists since a couple of decades ago. Due to its visual appeal, the festival has become an explosively hot tourist spot and activity. As number of tourists raise up, the negative side of the festival also becoming a serious issue, such as the risks of fire and abandoned trashes which cause suffering to local people. In this SNS era, the speed and frequency of exchanging information has become extremely heavy than ever. When very local culture gets intensive attention from unidentified crowds, then the one to retain the culture need to face and respond the troubles to come with the anonymous attention which is also happening on the lantern festival in Chiang Mai. Festivals with lights are attractive. However, overlooking the wastes happening materially and culturally cannot be accepted anymore. Through this survey, we aim to observe not only the bright side but also the problems and struggles behind which could relate with many other traditional lighting festivals. We believe that the approach could bring another layer of depth for the lighting detective activity with…