Beautification of the City

Abstract

Visitors to European cities will experience most of them as a whole, not as a collection of separate architectural elements. Yet these old centres are frequently a motley selection of individual buildings that have been constructed in different ages. In spite of the architectural differences, during the daytime we experience the city as a whole, because the daylight that is present throughout the city unites it in a natural way. The light in the city at night is determined by all kinds of factors. Many of these are incidental: light emission from shop displays, lighting on terraces, light from cafés, restaurants, houses and other buildings, light from the traffic. It’s quite a tall order to achieve a sense of unity at night, so that the layout and structure of the city is still clear and recognisable in spite of all the incidental factors. To do this, it is necessary to bring all the light into harmony, as far as possible. Public lighting is no longer exclusively functional, but should also be pleasing. The illumination of buildings, monuments and bridges and the lighting of fountains and other places of interest is receiving more attention.