Vancouver Lighting

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

For me the Shangri-la having no lighting on top is the fault of the city, for they are the ones that allowed it through their insanely rigid design guidelines without having any lighting feature placed upon the city's tallest building near the heart of the commercial/business district.

WRT signage - the City didn't "allow it.. through ... with lighting" - the City prohibited it.

[LotusLand]

Originally Posted by deagleman

I personally find our retail/entertainment/tourism streets in Vancouver are too dark. Every year I trick myself into believing that my eyes are getting dimmer until I go off for another vacation and realize that Vancouver is just dark (Nearly 2 stops, in fact, when measuring by my camera).

Lighting on Granville always seemed overpowered by its weak and orange street lights. I find my eyes had to work harder in those dark lighting conditions. Many people I know won't walk Granville and many other downtown streets at night alone because they feel unsafe. There are many studies done that shows how brighter streets makes people feel safer so whats the big hold up?

Also, I have no proof for this but I genuinely think that dimly lit streets also contribute to people acting more like douchebags. I guess they feel more confident to be retards when they believe the dark is hiding their faces.

Anywho, to finish off my rant, I really hope Vancouver gets some brighter street lamps and signage.

I now see the city install better lighting in the lamposts on Fraser Street between 33rd and 41st on the left side if driving south. They look way better than the dim yellowy ones we got right now that is for sure. I wonder why the city chooses to go with that yellow glow, is it more natural? Cost? Can somebody please enLIGHTen us on that. I'd like to see that in all parts of town.

Also I think Ontario Street has brighter lights at least on the soutside of the city. I always thought that was to signal the east west divide. Again if u know please share.

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by AlexYVR

Yes, underwhelming is an under statement. It's understated. It's Vancouver. Seaplanes don't fly over downtown. Would it be great to have an office tower with a signature lighted crown? Absolutely. Do I think the Wall Centre looks great at night? Absolutely. Do we need to infringe on someone's patio space when they spent 17 million on an apartment purely for some peoples' aesthetic wishes? No. You and I are like Waiting for Godot with this thing. . .

Haha, very true. We need to go for a beer one night and debate it, hehe.

Anyways lighting does not need to be crown lighting, again it could have been a simple strip along the side such as the Shaw Tower. Anything to make it at least somewhat stand out would be welcomed.

Lighting can be also done on a roof where it is not invasive to the penthouse owner. Is the window washing crane not invasive to the penthouse owner?

[Delirium]

Originally Posted by officedweller

I think the difference with Shangri-La is that the roof is a private roof deck for the penthouses - whereas other towers have purely mechanical "penthouses" so any lighting is out of view of the "primo" residents. In some cases, the roof deck may be a shared amenity - which would allow some lighting to be maintained with minimal impact.

good point however, the penthouse terrace does not wrap around the whole floor. uplighting could have been achieved on the east/south facades (bottom of pic) and above the lap pool area without any disturbance to the unit owner.

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/7776/shangrila.jpg

[jlousa]

That's only one of the penthouses, it's not the only one.

[Delirium]

interesting. i wasn't aware of that. either way, if they wanted lighting they could have done something. obviously they didn't. time to pick up the pieces and move on..
perhaps someone needs to start a "no rooftop lighting on the Shangri-la" support group. just a thought.

[SpongeG]

lets all chip together and buy the penthouse owners icicle lights - problem solved

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Delirium

good point however, the penthouse terrace does not wrap around the whole floor. uplighting could have been achieved on the east/south facades (bottom of pic) and above the lap pool area without any disturbance to the unit owner.

Yeah, there are 3 penthouses up there.

[vancityrox]

Does anyone know why the Science World lights havent been on for the passed couple of weeks? Maybe they are working on some special lighting...hmmmm

[jlousa]

I posted it a while back, they are all being replaced with LEDs Science world is going to place a large focus on environmental sciences.

[vancityrox]

Originally Posted by jlousa

I posted it a while back, they are all being replaced with LEDs Science world is going to place a large focus on environmental sciences.

Oh nice. Thanks , i was wondering since its right outside my window.

[SpongeG]

i love this building in gastown - they could do something like this with sears - if only they would...


flickr: agmk

[vanman]

Yeah that building took me by surprise the first time I saw it all lit up like that.

[Spoolmak]

^ Doesn't it change colours too?

[officedweller]

Nice - haven't seen it before.

[SpongeG]

yes it changes colours

[jlousa]

Yes the building is usually lit in purple, I mentioned it a while back on being an example of the proper way of lighting up a building w/o pissing off neighbours. The building is lit w/o emitting light outwards hence why it doesn't receive complaints. The redone stretch of buildings along W Cordova (Greedy Pig etc) is also lit up in a similar fashion but in white light only. If we are going to do with more lighting it should be in this fashion. No need to direct lights away from a building ever, onto themselves is the way to go.

[SpongeG]

this is cool - i expected to see something like this in yaletowns event last february but it was nothing compared to stuff like this

• Video Link

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by LotusLand

...Also I think Ontario Street has brighter lights at least on the soutside of the city. I always thought that was to signal the east west divide. Again if u know please share.

Does Ontario St. have brighter lighting because its a bike route?

[Metro-One]

Yes the building is usually lit in purple, I mentioned it a while back on being an example of the proper way of lighting up a building w/o pissing off neighbours. The building is lit w/o emitting light outwards hence why it doesn't receive complaints. The redone stretch of buildings along W Cordova (Greedy Pig etc) is also lit up in a similar fashion but in white light only. If we are going to do with more lighting it should be in this fashion. No need to direct lights away from a building ever, onto themselves is the way to go.

I agree that the purple lit building looks fantastic at night, I also would like to see much more of this form of lighting integrated into our city. That said, like anyhting, I do like to see a variety of lighting styles used in a city. While this form may be best for residential areas (or historic looking areas) brighter lighting (use of neon, LEDs, signs) can be used well along primary commercial arteries, especially with newer style developments.

Science World is the perfect example (it is even close to several condos) but with it having been shut off over the past while for renovations one sure notices how much darker that area of the city is without it, and how much such lighting adds to the feeling of the area at night.

There is a darkness that much of our city has at night, which can be depressing during the winter months. Such lighting features do not have to be on all night either, many lighting features in Tokyo for example are shut off at midnight on week nights and I think around 2 on weekends.

I still want to see Granville and parts of Robson lit up more, along with a few other select core areas (the transfer hub at Broadway could be a nice area for a strong retail base with use of lights one day...)

Sorry to go off track, love that purple lighting!