Vancouver Lighting

[ranvancan]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

My friend actually helped design this.

Would love to see more displays like this in Vancouver (along Granville, on the Nordstrom Building, on a new art gallery, on the London Drugs Georgia entrance, the Stadiums, the new Casino etc...).

Still amazes me how lacking we are in lighting displays for such an overcast city for much of the year.

https://www.digitalsignageconnection...aign=editorial

I agree 100%. That is some terrific lighting feature that I, unfortunately know, Vancouver will never buy into. Being on a 'Greenest City' drive, underscores any of that sort of contemporary art feature from ever happening here, very sad. But please, keep posting this kind of activity, and maybe, just maybe we may have a forward thinking Mayor and Premier that would back it up. Fingers crossed. Great Post by the way!

[Sheba]

I just had to share this

The streets of Chengdu in western China could soon be lit up by an artificial satellite moon in the night-time, rather than the more conventional streetlights, if an ambitious plan by a private aerospace company gets the go-ahead.

The thinking is to save a hefty sum in electricity costs, according to Wu Chunfeng, chairman of the Chengdu Aerospace Science and Technology Microelectronics System Research Institute Co., who is behind the scheme.

Rather than using up energy here on Earth, the satellite would reflect the Sun's rays from the other side of the planet back on to Chengdu.

Details are thin on the ground, but it sounds as though solar panel-like wings with a special reflective coating would be used to redirect sunbeams from space.

The illumination on the ground would be about eight times what you would expect from the actual Moon, Chunfeng says.

Speaking at an entrepreneur conference, Wu said the satellite will allow the light to be carefully controlled and kept to an area 10-80 kilometres (around 6-50 miles) in diameter. The light wouldn't be strong enough to interfere with nocturnal wildlife activities – or at least no more than streetlights, anyway – backers of the project say.

And the "dusk-like glow" that the fake moon would create would also be something of a tourist attraction for the area, according to the developers. The satellite could be picked up on a telescope, Fortune reports, if you don't want to make the trip to Chengdu.

Apparently the necessary technology has already been tested and the satellite itself could be ready to take to orbit as early as 2020.

...

[Sheba]

Filmmaker revisits 1997 film on Vancouver's fabulous neon sign era

When you think of cities filled with neon signs, Las Vegas probably comes to mind. But at one time, Vancouver was known as the "Neon Capital of Canada."

Alan Goldman produced Glowing in the Dark in 1997. The documentary film originally premiered at the Museum of Vancouver. It took a close look at Vancouver's fabulous era of neon signs and how they shaped the cityscape.

Neon signs used to cover the city.

Now after more than 20 years, the film is making a comeback as part of a series at Vancouver's Pacific Cinematheque on the history of B.C. film.

Goldman calls the film a fun look back and says Vancouver residents can learn a lot from it.

"Unfortunately, we haven't really learned some of the lessons that I wish we would have learned in Vancouver," Goldman said.

While many of the biggest and most decadent signs were gone by 1997, the large majority of the small signs are now gone as well, says Goldman.

"We continue to forget about this rich urban past that we've had ... I think Vancouver, in particular, isn't so good about remembering its history."

In the 1950s, there was more neon in Vancouver per capita than just about anywhere in the world, according to Goldman.

"I started to think, why aren't we celebrating this? ... Because [the signs were] all coming down," Goldman told Early Edition host Stephen Quinn.

While filming Glowing in the Dark, Goldman found there used to be one neon sign for every 19 people in Vancouver.

In the 1970s, there was a campaign to take down the bright signs.

Goldman says many people had started moving to Vancouver from other Canadian cities and countries, and many did not like all the neon. Many saw the massive, bright signs as visual clutter.

"They saw the mountains and the water and [said], 'why would you want to disturb that? Why would you want to put a huge neon Coca-Cola sign on the foot of Burrard Street Bridge as you're driving in?' That was basically the end of neon in Vancouver."

Glowing in the Dark screens on March 25 at the Cinematheque as part of The Image Before Us: A History of Film in British Columbia.

[retro_orange]

Originally Posted by Sheba

Filmmaker revisits 1997 film on Vancouver's fabulous neon sign era

Bit late, it started showing at 7! I would have totally gone to see it...

[SpongeG]

City of Vancouver initiates review of its policies for video screen signs

Kenneth Chan | Nov 25 2019

Downtown Vancouver’s streets look like anything but Tokyo, Hong Kong, and New York City’s commercial districts.

Billboards, electronic video screens, and other commercial signage are generally not major features of Vancouver’s urban landscape, but the municipal government is now gauging the public’s opinion on these types of signs as part of its latest phase of its Sign By-law Review, which provides regulations on signs.

The review reexamines the use of these signs in Vancouver, given that the city has grown and sign technology has been changing and advancing as well.

“Vancouver’s current sign regulations do not reflect changing technology or broader opportunities for community benefits such as airtime for public art, Amber Alerts, or to support arts, culture, and community events,” reads a release.

“Historically, large format paper billboards have catered to a car-oriented audience. But within North America, Vancouver has a unique context with a high percentage of cyclists, pedestrians and transit users.”

Examples of electronic advertising signs include the video screens on the Best Buy/Winners building at the intersection of Robson Street and Granville Street, which provides the City of Vancouver air time for public art and other community initiatives.

The original signs at the prominent intersection were first installed about 17 years ago, and larger replacements were approved by city council nearly two years ago, but the property owner has yet to complete the replacement.

Signage, particularly neon installations, are currently generally encouraged along the Granville Entertainment District in downtown to help provide the area with a sense of place as a lively destination.

As well, new digital screen signs that display advertisements and community uses were recently installed on the sidewalks of downtown as part of the municipal government’s long-term street furniture contract with advertising agency Outfront/JCDecaux.

But a new screen installed on the commercial frontage of the recently completed The Independent building at the intersection of Kingsway and Broadway is dedicated entirely to public art programmed by the Grunt Gallery.

An online survey currently gauges public feedback, which will help city staff create a draft framework for these signs in Vancouver. Proposed policy options will also undergo another round of public consultation in early 2020.

...

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vanc...ic-sign-review

[officedweller]

Because animated signs are only allowed across the street north of Nelson St....

City Council rejects animated "diving girls" neon sign for Hotel Belmont


Artistic rendering of the animated sequence for the diving girl sign at Hotel Belmont. (Hotel Belmont)
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/hote...g-girl-figures

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by officedweller

City Council rejects animated "diving girls" neon sign for Hotel Belmont

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/hote...g-girl-figures

Fucking unbelievable. Total morons.

[Klazu]

Yeah, that's an idiotic decision. That sign would have definitely added to the character of Granville Street. I hope they still build it but not turn it on...for now.

[GeeCee]

“Without having this chasing light feature, it would definitely result in unnecessary hardship because of the failure to physically execute the unique sign concept as intended. It would also lead to further hardship with a delayed recovery projection. The neighbourhood would also experience hardship as the community would not benefit from the elevated vibrancy.”

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by Prometheus

Fucking unbelievable. Total morons.

Originally Posted by Klazu

Yeah, that's an idiotic decision. That sign would have definitely added to the character of Granville Street. I hope they still build it but not turn it on...for now.

The justification for their decision is evidently an element of perceived gender discrimination against women. This smells like low tide at Politically Correct Bay Beach. Rank, stinking rotten.

[giallo]

That's a shame. Any colourful light/displays are a welcome sight in downtown, especially in the winter.

[Metro-One]

Wow, what a disappointing yet not surprising decision.

Vancouver needs more color and animation in its light displays.

This would have been a great addition...

Wish the city was as strict with garbage collection and street cleaning as it is about signage.

[vanman]

Why are there any restrictions on signage in the middle of the entertainment district? What a ridiculous waste of time and resources.

[s211]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Wish the city was as strict with garbage collection and street cleaning as it is about signage.

Says a lot of where the city's priorities lie:

so-called social justice > filthy streets.

[MIPS]

Originally Posted by vanman

Why are there any restrictions on signage in the middle of the entertainment district? What a ridiculous waste of time and resources.

It's been part of the bylaws going back to the 70's. The complaint about it generating excessive light pollution goes even further back to the 50's.

But in 1958, the Community Arts Council launched a campaign urging a city hall crackdown. The CAC and its supporters argued the neon was a tacky distraction from the beauty of Vancouver's natural landscape, and was in danger of altering the city's reputation.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...rticle4242522/

(I'm sure this has come up more than once but it doesn't hurt to hit it home again )

[officedweller]

I like the closing comment:

...
As another sign debate lights up the city, Ms. Seidl points out a difference: The fight back then was spearheaded by citizens concerned about aesthetics, not people looking for a good night's sleep.

"You didn't hear arguments from residents. Yes, there were people living in all those commercial hotels on that Granville Street strip back when neon was king," she says. "But apparently they could live happily with the stuff flashing on and off. It was part of the urban experience."

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...rticle4242522/

[whatnext]

And now some more bad news for them, if you were at the Belmont bar on June 27 or 29 you might have been exposed to COVID-19 https://www.straight.com/covid-19-pa...nightclub-test

[officedweller]

Don't think I've seen a pic of the new lighting atop Bentall I and II before:


From Scott Graham twitter Aug 6th:


https://twitter.com/WFLBC

[jollyburger]

A leading urban trend is the creation of signature dynamic lighting designs for iconic downtown core high-rises. A major aspect of this trend is the use of dynamic crown lighting that can be programmed to be symbiotic with a city’s civic pride, commemorating such events as celebrations, memorials, sporting events, and seasons.

Hudson Pacific Properties embraced this trend and created a new night-time landmark by investing in a dynamic, colour-changing lighting system for the crowns of Vancouver’s most storied groups of buildings, known as the Bentall Centre.

One Bentall Centre and Two Bentall Centre towers now have Lumenpulse Lumenfacade Horizontal RGBW LED luminaires grazing the arches of the crown openings on each building. The precision 10° x 60° optics specifically target the sides and upper arch of each crown opening to create a border of light that can be programmed to colour change as per the programmer’s wants while respecting dark skies.

The overall effect is straight forward, yet highly impactful. The towers rise above their actual height in both the civic imagination and their visual prominence amongst all other neighbouring structures. They become a beacon for the city centre while boosting civic pride and the core’s entire aesthetic.

https://cdm2lightworks.com/projects/...rown-lighting/

[officedweller]

Nice, thanks!