Type of project : Lighting masterplan (An individual project)
Responsibility : Lighting masterplan design and concept, Visualization, presentation
Main ides&concept :
- color light to create symbolic meaning, feeling, and psychological impact,
- lighting orientation to create psychological impact, feeling and night atmosphere
- accent light to create importance of spaces and recognizable spaces
- lighting level to create hierarchy
The idea of lighting masterplan will be explained in order by categorizing into 6 layers which are paths, edges, districts, nodes, landmarks and lost spaces.
Streets within the island have different frequency of use. Therefore, I different lighting intensity is created. Primary street is the most, secondary street is the second intensity level, tertiary streets are the third level, and small streets within the community are the lowest intensity level. Due to the warm color architectural material within the island, good color rendering luminaires with warm white light are used for most of the street in order not to estonish people and to reveal the architectures. For some part of primary street used to be a part of old tram way, so red marker signages on top of lighting pole is placed to remind new Thai generation of the history. For secondary street,it is a main axis of the island, so the prestige atmosphere will be created by using symmetrical balance design, the same distance between the lighting pools, the same height of luminaire positions, and the same lighting distribution. For tertiary streets, they are branches of the secondary steet. Therefore, the distance between lighting pools are gradually closer to the secondary street in order to create coherence. In addition, these tertiary streets have a street prositution problem which is illegal in public space and it is immorality for Thai people. Therefore, I use blue light to solve this problem. According to light theraphy, blue light create clamness and quietness, so I think it will not stimulate sex drive. Also, for symbolic meaning, in Thailand , blue represents kings which Thai people respect a lot, nobody dare to do bad things in the king's spaces.
Edge lighting, there are 2 edges of the island, Khu Muang Doem Canal and The Chao Phraya River. Khu Muang Doem Canal was dug for transportation and defending the enemies. Now adays, it is ignored. Therefore, the water surface is illuminated in order to bring back the importance to the canal. For the Chao Phraya River, Thai people believe that Chao Phraya River reflects Thai way of life. In order to keep this idea, the river will be kept as dark as possible to reflect accitivities, architectures, and the city image into the river. In the mean time, boundary need to be identified, so I decide to illuminate some area of watersurface in order to create conceptual boundary. Also, the illuminated positions are the position of old fortresses in order to combine the historical background.
District lighting, there are 3 historical communities in the island. These communities have 2 functions, market and residence, in each of communities. Thus, I create a lively atmosphere and interaction within communities by using intimate lighting. The luminaire positions are lowered in order to imitate the light sources in the past. In the same time, to identify the district, different luminaire features are used.
Node lighting, in each community has pier, and there is a market square in front of each pier. So, I imitate the atmosphere of a market in the past which used only horizontal light from moonlight and keeping the sky as dark as possible. In the mean time, each market and square need to be differentiated. So, I use the different color of market light by following the survey. These market light luminaires help to lead direction from the square to the pier and also, from the pier to the exist.
Landmark lighting, Sanam Luang is a landmark space in the island. In order to give the importance to this space, I use lighting poles around the space to identify this landmark. The vertical light from the luminaires will create three-dimension space. The luminaire positions are gradually lower at the area which is near The Temple of emerald Buddha and The Grand Palace which Thai people respect a lot in order to pay respect and worship this sacred space.
Lost space lighting, there are 2 lost spaces which have possibility to be illuminated to create function, Monumental space and underpass space. For underpass, it is a way to connect the island and another important historical district. Therefore, I use lighting to frame perspective in order to create a gateway, only 2 corners are lit to make perspective looks more interesting. For a monumental space, it is a sanctuary place but it is used only for crossing the streets. In order to bring the importance back, I create worship place by using a carpet of light (horizontal light), no spill light to the sky, nothing is higher than the monument in order to simplify the way that Thai people do the obeisance and respect.
