Diseño Nocturno workshop to illuminate Getsemaní neighbourhood


12th July 2016

(Colombia) – With support from iGuzzini and Arup, Diseño Nocturno en Getsemaní workshop aims to move lighting up agenda of urban life.

Light is vital for urban life. Especially during the darkened hours, light has the power to change the way we perceive a place, to make it more attractive, safer and more social, especially where diverse human groups, different histories and other identities meet. In the Getsemaní neighbourhood in Cartagena, Colombia: a UNESCO designated world-heritage site where everyday life, cultural and touristic activities take place, identity is a crucial issue.

In light of this, enthusiasts are invited to participate in the workshop Diseño Nocturno en Getsemaní, in which Getsemaní nights will be re-imagined. As part of the project Smart Everyday Nighttime Design, an interdisciplinary and participatory research program that has been going on for more than a year, modern LED lanterns – designed in collaboration with local residents and stakeholders – will make the most of the cultural and aesthetic richness and the heritage value of the neighbourhood and its inhabitants. Here, interaction with a new kind of street light will contribute to the cohabitation of public space. The aim is to move lighting up on the agenda of urban life to attract the attention of municipalities, consultants, researchers and developers of urban projects, showing how it is possible to change the social life of cities, respecting diversities and identities.

Working with a variety of stakeholders and mobilising community participation, Diseno Nocturno en Getsemaní will explore – in one of the busiest night-time streets of the neighbourhood – an approach to studying and re-designing the urban night.

Diseño Nocturno has been brought to fruition by the following interdisciplinary team: Arup (Project lead), Configuring Light research group, London School of Economics (Academic partner for Social Research), Despacio (Local partner for Social Research), Utadeo (Local Academic partner for social research), iGuzzini (Lighting Manufacturer), Citelum (Project engineering, installation and financial contribution), Findeter (Financial partner and facilitator), with the support of Rosco, Whiteoptics, TU Cultura, Escuela Taller Cartagena de Indias, Camera de Comercio de Cartagena, CorpoTurismo Cartagena de Indias.

INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM IN DETAIL:

Arup

Project lead
Arup (Global Lighting Urbanists) has the role of project initiator, leading, coordinating and participating in all project instances and events. Together with the social research partners, Arup develops and refines planning tools and processes, e.g. the adaptation of the existing SPeAR tool to apply to Nighttime Design. The project team within Arup shares expertise in urban lighting and urban design with a strong background in social activation and community engagement.

Academic partner for Social Research
Configuring Light helps to plan and carry out the social research strategy, drawing on its expertise in qualitative research methodologies for urban design. They also work, with Despacio and Arup, to channel fieldwork findings into consultations, workshops and the development of Arup’s SPeAR tool for project development and evaluation.

Despacio

Local partner for Social Research
Despacio is the local counterpart and the anchor to the social research of the project. Despacio has experience conducing multi-actor projects and has been developing social researches in the context of Consultancy projects. At the same time Despacio is learning about the lighting issues on urban development and urban experience, one of their interests (cross-cutting with Despacio’s three areas climate change, sustainable urban development and life).

UTADEO

Local Academic partner for social research
The Jorge Tadeo Lozano University’s headquarters in Cartagena offer local academic and logistical support the project. The university’s experience with urban research stems from the Urban Design Postgraduate and Masters degrees, which focuses on on strategic urban development projects in Bogotá and the Caribbean in collaboration with the Architecture program. The university and the Faculty of Arts and Design are interested in urban lighting and its ability to stimulate interdisciplinary projects, as well as its potential to generate knowledge and social action to enhance people’s quality of life.

iGuzzini

Lighting Manufacturer
iGuzzini designs and supplies the custom lighting fixtures (lanterns) for the pilot installation of the project in Cartagena. Arup and iGuzzini work closely together in planning both the technical and aesthetically aspects of the fixture design and implementation on site.

Citelum

Project engineering, installation and financial contribution
Citelum works in collaboration with Arup and iGuzzini on the physical implementation of the project. As specialist in lighting solutions, the company brings its expertise, and local resources to ensure that all expectations are met in terms of installation.

Findeter

Financial partner and facilitator
Findeter supports the project by articulating distinct local institutions and local government in order to facilitate the execution of the activities, as well as becoming the origin of the resources for the investors to finance the implementation phase.

Twitter: #DisenoNocturno

Facebook: Diseñoocturno www.facebook.com/groups/disenonocturno/