Issue 129

As I’m sure most of our readers will know, the issue of Dark Sky protection has been particularly prevalent within the lighting industry of late. More and more designers and manufacturers are looking to do what they can to minimise light pollution, not only to preserve views of the night sky, but also because of the impacts that poor exterior lighting can have on wildlife, humans and the environment.

As a result of this, we are seeing a lot more projects where exterior lighting has been tailored to minimise the impact on the night sky. Indeed inside this issue, Rune Brandt Hermannsson of Light Bureau tells us of a fascinating recent project in Gladsaxe, Denmark, where narrow spectrum red lighting has been used to limit behavioural effects on bats and other nocturnal species.

Alongside this, regular contributor Dr. Karolina Zielinska-Dabkowska and the ILLUME research group at Gdansk University, Poland, have, together with the SLL, spearheaded the Responsible Outdoor Lighting At Night (ROLAN) movement. Aimed at educating both lighting professionals and researchers into artificial lighting at night, a two-day online conference was held earlier this year; during the programme of talks, speakers examined issues surrounding dark skies and the impact of losing them, with several lighting designers sharing methods on how to minimise light pollution. You can read more about the conference and its findings in Karolina’s column in this issue.

Continuing this theme, our main project focus this time looks at Public Space lighting, with several projects showcasing commendable efforts to preserve the night sky, while also creating pleasant environments for the public to enjoy.

Elsewhere, our glorious cover story sees us step inside the new National Museum in Oslo, Norway. Opened in June this year, the musuem showcases the breadth and history of Norway across a vast art collection, spanning classical, modern and contemporary art, architecture and design. 

With architectural lighting designed by Henning Larsen (formerly Rambøll) and exhibition lighting from Massimo Iarussi, the project is a testament to the power of collaboration, as both lighting teams, together with architects, exhibition designers, graphic designers and multimedia partners, have worked together to create something extraordinary for the city of Oslo.

Enjoy the issue!

Matt Waring
Editor
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