ABOUT
LINKEDIN
Illumination
DetailsUT 230 Studio: Design and Urban Inquiries
Completed March 2023
Skills
Data Collection
Prototype Development
Data-Driven Design
Context
The goal of this assignment was to analyze an urban object, defined as a city element larger than a smartphone but smaller than a building. For my project, I initially focused on street lamps, which eventually expanded into an exploration of illumination.
To fully understand what role the lamp post plays in society and how it can be improved upon, it was important to take it apart and analyze it. The project evolved into an examination of how street lamps deliver and play a crucial role in a pedestrian’s sense of safety. Often overlooked and taken for granted, the importance of lamp posts becomes clear only in their absence, when the lack of light impacts how people experience public spaces.
Project Development
Data CollectionInitial Research and Data Collection
Final Slide Deck
Final Deliverable
My overall inquiry focused on enhancing the sense of safety through lighting while addressing its challenges, like light pollution complaints from Ann Arbor residents and lamp placement near trees which unintentionally reduce visibility. This project was extensive, even requiring me to go outside and measure the radius of light emitted by different lamp types across campus. However, all of this taught me about the importance of intentional design. While adding more lamps might seem like a general way to increase safety, factors like placement, material, and lamp head design all play a crucial role in maximizing safety while mitigating negative impacts.