With the City People Light Award, an initiative of Philips Lighting and LUCI, a global network of cities which aims to profile outdoor lighting, fifteen light-design-projects from over the world were selected as the best or most beautiful to look at or experience. LUCI and Philips asked the public to vote, resulting in a list that includes cities such as Seoul, Montreal and Moscow, but also features communities from Brabant in Best and Veghel.The competition was first held fourteen years, set up by Philips Lighting and LUCI: Lighting Urban Community International. “With a double purpose”, Eric Drent, connected to the competition from Philips, says.
“On the one hand we want to recognize and appreciate cities and designers that use light to make their cities more livable and add to the industry, activity and overall vibe in that town. On the other hand we want to share these projects with a broad range of people, so city planners will be more aware of the possibillities that light brings to designing a square in a centre.”
It is a competition with a global character. Among jury members there were people from Mexico, South Korea, Belgium and Croatia. The top three projects were located in Guadalajara (first place), Emmen (second place) and Antwerp (third place). The winning concept in Guadalajara has taken home 10.000 euro, awarded during a gala in Seoul.
Bron: Philips Lighting
Best and Veghel
The rest of the projects, with Best and Veghel among them, were put on the list in no particular order.
According to the jury, the way the light was used in Best played a particular role in the towns long lasting wish to create a more vibrant and warm city centre.
Part of the project in Best, which is called From Space to Place, is a projection of light on the main square. The light gave the square a warm feeling according to the judges. ‘ There was an excellent balance of design and resources as well as emotional and functional lighting. At night, light makes the streets feel as cosy as the people’s homes.’
Bron: Philips Lighting
In Veghel, the project Behind Digital City Walls was awarded by the judges because of the way the lights have given the centre more character. ‘The light has revitalized the city of Veghel’.
Behind Digital City Walls is part of a bigger plan named Veghel 2030, in which local government wants to create a more vibrant and green centre without losing respect for the towns historic buildings.
The lighting-project mainly puts focus on creating a more vibrant centre by using interactive lighting which makes passing through the lightes areas an experience. Also, the new lights can be modified to fit the needs for any sort of event in the city.
Both projects fitted in to what the judges were looking for: ‘The projects are intended to improve livability in the city by applying innovative design and or using innovative technology, furthermore, the installation is intended to provide both the city and its citizens with short and long term benefits’.
