Electrical light

environments that provide delight and intrigue for people that cannot be achieved with electric lighting. (Davies, 2016)

Langeliniekaj is secluded from the city, the daylight takes a fundamental role in the space. Its location at the edge of the city acts in favour of the space when it comes to daylight since there are only buildings along the west side, this provides a clear view of its surroundings (such as the waterfront) gaining direct sunlight most of the day.

The below diagram (Fig 3.13) shows the location, orientation and analyse of the sun path during the summer and winter solstice at noon.

Thought the year is possible to directly see the sunrise from the quay (without any obstructions) and the sunset only in the summer months due to the long transition hours that are characteristic of the latitude of Copenhagen.

The site has some characteristics that make the space unique in the city, but the lighting does not enhance them. The position, intensity, directionality, Correlated Colour Temperature (CCT) and the poor choice of lighting fixtures create a problem rather than a solution.

The illumination should create a proper atmosphere after dark but may also be used to reveal or interpret aspects of Langeliniekaj history that have been lost or are hidden.

Light sources

The pier contains four main different elements as a light source (Fig 3.14).

Figure 3.14 Depiction of the luminaries found at Langeliniekajen 1 2 3 4

1. The first ones are relatively new poles as streetlights that are located at a street level alongside the back of raised promenade, they create a high contrast between dark and bright areas, although the height of the fixture is appropriate for the scale and the use (4.00m), it produces glare. 2. The second source is located on the other side of the quay facing the waterfront. It consists of a wall-mounted fixture (0.60 m from the ground) with a warm fluorescent lamp that illuminates the raised sidewalk for the shoppers, but it does not highlight the architecture or materials. It is important to note that this light is only placed in a small portion of the pier, where the stores are located at. 3. The general lighting of the promenade consists of tall streetlighting poles (6.00m to 7.00m) that match the historical architecture of the place, having an antique look, this is predominantly warm with a medium to low colour rendering (high-pressure sodium) that doesn’t go accordantly to the master plan of the city of Copenhagen.

They provide a soft, muted visual backdrop to activities after dark, with low light levels between bright areas and harsh shadows. As a result, they create a feeling of insecurity while producing glare for the users in the raised park of the promenade.

4. At the end of the quay in the parking lot, there are tall poles (7.00m to 8.00m). This height is perceived out of scale; they create a hard light that creates hard-edged shadows which are unflattering to the site and create an unwelcoming atmosphere.

Except for the second source of light, the illumination of the space is mainly for the vehicles and not designed for human perception. These brightly lit areas create problems by making adjacencies feel dark by the high contrast, therefore unnecessary energy use and light pollution.

Observations

The images below show the current setting and the perception of the light on each one of the different zones: • Raised promenade -first stretch (Fig. 3.15, Picture 1): High contrast and poor lighting levels between brightly lit areas and harsh shadows create a feeling of insecurity. There is a lack of vertical surfaces and, therefore, ambient lighting. • Raised promenade -second stretch (Fig. 3.15, Picture 2): The Colour Rendering Index is poor; the light is greenish. The Colour Temperature is not warm as the master plan points out for this area. Trees are blocking the light creating new shadowed areas. These luminaires produce glare, and they result disturbing. • Parking Lot (Fig. 3.15, Picture 3): The hard light from the luminaires creates hard-edged shadows which are unflattering to the place and create an unwelcoming atmosphere. The height of the poles of the parking lot is out of scale. • End of the pier (Fig. 3.15, Picture 4): The end of the promenade is not highlighted in any special way. High contrast generates a feeling of insecurity. • Front street and quay (Fig. 3.15, Picture 5): High contrast between dark and bright areas, no hierarchy among sidewalk, road and quay. • Backstreet (Fig. 3.15, Picture 6): These streetlights are newer, and the colour rendering index seems better than the other lighting fixtures. Although there is also a high contrast between dark and bright areas, the atmosphere seems appropriate for this street, related to the housing buildings. The luminaries produce a small

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Figure 3.15 Different views at night

Figure 3.14 Depiction of the luminaries found at Langeliniekajen

Figure 3.16 Sections illustrating the lighting levels amount of glare, but it does not result in uncomfortable.

Good lighting can greatly help to make this linear park more accessible, easy to navigate during the night time and help to encourage a feeling of safety. Well-lit areas are generally pleasant places for people.

Considering the privileged location of Langeliniekaj due to its proximity to the water and the activities taking place in the place, it is important to define the areas where darkness needs to be preserved to maintain the views of the night sky. This will be capable of defining the quality and quantity of the light employed across the site. Taking this into account will promote views into and out of the city.

Positive aspects of the existing light: • Generally low intensity of light • Use of high-pressure sodium, supplying a muted and warm characteristic.

Negative aspects of the existing light: • The scales of the lighting are inappropriate for the pedestrian area and the scale of the surrounding architecture. • Disconnection between the illumination and the activities. • Lack of hierarchy of the lighting elements, little light for orientation, light for security or light for beautification. Measurements

To understand and analyse the existing light, different methods and tools were implemented. The first one was measuring the illuminance of each luminaire. As mentioned before the light in the raised path comes from the tall streetlights. That is the reason why the separation between each light pole is big since the light is addressed for the vehicles and not for the pedestrians. Consequently, there is no uniformity. In some areas with as little as 0 lux. The following sections (Fig 3.16) illustrate the comparison of the illuminance level on the axis where the light fixture is placed (top) and in between these light fixtures (bottom). To support these findings of the lighting distribution, different lumi-