Identification light brilliance; Lighting the Theater Square of Rotterdam

Nowadays, the lifestyle of urbanized people requires flexible spaces which can be used depending on various and sometimes conflicting types of demands during a day. Lighting not only makes it easy to use the space functionally, but also plays a significant role in terms of creating a sense of security and attachment for the users. The “Theater Square” (Schaumburg) in the heart of the city of Rotterdam is an impressive sample of designing with the emphasis on nightlife .The lighting ideas is the main concepts both at day and night in this space. It is an open public space whose main elements are derived from public memories. Lighting appears as the symbol of modern urban life. The designer has considered the components of regionalism, identity and also the use of technology in order to respond to the aims and needs of the space. In addition to the functional aspects, the lighting provides a semantic and identical meaning which makes it the main designing feature. The square is a responsive public space in the city center whereas public presence and liveliness at different times of the day illustrates the prosperity of the project. Considering the user requirements on one hand and his past on the other hand would be the basic elements in designing a proper public space. Noticing details specially in reconstructing the familiar elements can be effective in creating this feeling while general concept in designing a public space is the identical essence and consistent substance for a set of discrete components. The Rotterdam Theater square has been successful in case of creating an acquainted place for citizens. The outstanding points of the project are benefiting from the city scenery and interpretable elements for citizens. Using the lighting as the main design utility distinguishes this space from other similar squares with identical approach in designing that brings cohesion to the landscape of day and night. Adrian Geuze and his colleagues have used a combination of lighting by accurate recognition of site and technology at different functional, conceptual and identical aspects which are mostly neglected in many cases of lighting design. This bolded approach in using technology and lighting has made other landscape elements such as presence of nature, plant and water subtle. The existence of nature is summarized in single flower boxes and trees. The wide monotonous space and main elements of the space altogether reminds cold and industrial face which generally makes the place spiritless. The summery of modern and mechanical components has been so vivid that empties the place and makes it spiritless. The border between a successful urban patulous space and a uniform urban open space may be a line which brings the sense of place and makes difference in quality. This article defines the method in which the designer utilizes the lighting potentials in order to form the space and the audience perception during the day and night. It also reveals the positive and negative points in different aspects by which lighting has affected the space.