A Design for Darkness strategy for Amsterdam Noord

Abstract

This thesis addresses the problem of light pollution in cities, caused by public lighting. Currently, 99% of American and European citizens live under light-polluted skies (Falchi et al, 2016). Light pollution has measurable negative effects, as it increases energy consumption, disrupts ecosystems and wildlife and harms human health (IDA, 2013).

This research aims to reduce the amount of light pollution in Amsterdam Noord, a district in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in the form of a case study. A Design for Darkness strategy, that helps reintroducing darkness into our urban nightscapes (Stone, 2019), is applied to structure this thesis. With the help of a literature review, interviews and observations of the research area, a short term Design for Darkness strategy for Amsterdam Noord can be developed.

The outcomes of this research suggest that the lighting in the green structure in Noord can be turned off, that experiments with lower light levels in residential areas should be conducted, that light nuisance in the form of glare and light trespass should be diminished, and that more lighting plans should focus on a qualitative, perception-based lighting approach, instead of only designing with a quantitative basis. Furthermore, the results indicate that dimming the lighting would be beneficial for the reduction of light pollution, but the lighting system in Amsterdam Noord is currently not fit to apply dimming regimes, and more budget is needed before this system can be applied.

Based on the insights from the Design for Darkness strategy, a list of policy recommendations for Amsterdam Noord is drawn up, and these measures express the need to set up regulations to minimize the causes of light pollution, and to educate people in the public and private sector about ways to preserve darkness.