More frequently, façade lighting continues to be imposed in our cities. This article will delve into the trends and characteristics of this type of lighting that has somehow changed the way of inhabiting the city and relating to it.By: Héctor Gómez Pérez
There are many names that throughout history have received some cities in the world. For the exhibition let's cite New York, known as the Capital of the World; Rome, the Eternal City; Guayaquil, the Pearl of the Pacific; Arequipa, the White City or Chicago, the Windy City.
With the passage of time La ville-lumière (the City of Lights), the name with which Paris has been known, for being the first city in the world to provide its streets and important buildings with electric light, could also be applied to other cities in which lighting is part of the landscape and plays a preponderant role in architectural terms: Las Vegas, in the United States; Madrid, in Spain, or for our close case the beautiful and well-lit historic center of Guayaquil, in Ecuador.
The lighting of facades and buildings has been a trend that has gained ground in recent years, especially in icons or references of the city such as public buildings, churches, museums and historic centers. To talk about this topic, AVI LATINOAMÉRICA invited two authoritative voices: Adrián Morel, CEO of Lighthouse Technologies and architect Ricardo Pablo Aguilera.
Important aspects
Illuminating the façade of a building is not as simple as giving pleasure to the whim of the owner or manager of a building to give life, volume and color to the structure. It is necessary to respect the type of construction, especially in the case of historical monuments in which the national heritage must be preserved.
In heritage buildings, considerations such as history, iconology, style, proportions, visual points, social use and aesthetics must be taken into account.
Currently the most used technology for these purposes is LED's, although the architect Aguilera points out that it can not always be suitable "precisely because of some types of building materials or their proportions. Heritage buildings that have been restored and covered with a protective mesh of birds, require a specific lighting study and the use of LED technology may be insubstantial," he said.
On the other hand, this type of lighting adaptations are governed by building or building codes and "varies from city to city", as adrian Morel explains, who adds that the impact of these projects is very significant in urban areas. In this sense, Aguilera referred to the Mexican case: "For facades of heritage buildings, the National Institute of Anthropology and History has restricted the attachment of lighting equipment and is in the process of limiting the use of equipment embedded in the floor due to light pollution. In this sense, artificial lighting projections in heritage buildings acquire a primarily scenographic and/or artistic role."
Trends and social impact
In Morel's opinion, it is the city itself and its architecture that determines the type of lighting for its facades, so he points out that there are cities that are very traditional and others that are open to creative facades. " Art deco is a trend that is being seen in many places in South America, where the penetration of primary colors for façade lighting is catching up."
Aguilera, for his part, said that the trend of façade lighting that is imposed these days is that of megaprojections. On the impact that this type of adaptation has on people in the city and its architectural references, he pointed out that "the impact will always be great, positive for one social group and opposite for others, depending on the degree of openness of thought."
Another issue we were interested in was the relationship of the physical aspect, in this case the luminaires, with the management of lights and software, against which the lighthouse Technologies expert pointed out that "the housing vs software relationship is a bit contrary to the facades. At this time monochromatic lighting predominates, whether white or color. The software for RGB luminaire applications (color changing) makes the project very expensive", perhaps for this reason they do not enjoy much acceptance at present.
History, future and care
If we want to trace the history of this lighting trend we must direct attention to Europe, not in vain Paris was the first city to fill its streets with lights at night, as mentioned above. Aguilera says he does not have precise data to determine where the lighting of facades began, but he does point out that it was the Old Continent that set the pace of artificial lighting and respect for the environment in this discipline. "I think that projecting on a building has been done since cinema had a presence in the world, the difference today lies in the objectives of the projections."
On the care and maintenance of outdoor lighting, our experts point out some recommendations that could well be taken into account. Although these facilities do not require frequent maintenance, if a semi-annual one is recommended, which can even be done before, if the building is close to maritime areas in which the saltpeter deteriorates more quickly any external installation.
In terms of the risks that this type of lighting represents for the users of the buildings or the passers-by themselves, Morel points out that they represent a level of almost zero because they are low voltages, while Aguilera specifies that there may be risks, but they can be released with a deep study for it.
Very surely the lighting of facades will continue to increase around the world in heritage buildings, buildings with advertising trends and housing constructions with conceptual trends, on which special care must be taken is that a conscious use of lighting must be made and with a deep respect for nature, as Ricardo Pablo Aguilera points out: "Light is a living element that we must treat with respect."
For his part, Morel finishes by saying that outdoor lighting and a well-lit city increase tourism by becoming an activity that can be done 24 hours a day. "Cities like Las Vegas are a money-making machine because people consume both day and night. Night lighting increases tourism and benefits local economies," he said.
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