The semipublic garden is part of a local senior centre, creating a shared space where seniors and youth from neighbouring schools can meet. Although the garden has strong spatial and historical qualities, it is currently underused due to poor walkability and a lack of infrastructure supporting everyday use.
Together with the landscape architecture by Origo, the lighting design aims to make the garden safer, more legible and more inviting after dark, while maintaining its value as a habitat for biodiversity in the city.
The lighting strategy is built around spatial clarity, wayfinding and usability. Paths are illuminated to support safe movement and orientation, while carefully controlled visibility between different areas helps users understand the space without creating excessive brightness or glare.
Biodiversity-friendly lighting principles are integrated throughout the garden, with particular attention to spectrum, mounting height, directionality and intensity. Light is kept where it is needed and limited where it could disturb surrounding vegetation and wildlife.
Active areas, including the teaching pavilion, patio, terrace and seating areas, receive a more focused and cautious approach. Glare is minimised through concealed cove lighting and fixtures positioned below eye level. Adjustable spotlights with honeycomb accessories provide precise illumination while allowing the lighting to adapt to changing activities and uses of the space in the teaching pavillion.
At the end of the garden, the historical wall marking the former city border becomes a visual interest. Rather than using conventional uplighting, the wall is carefully washed from the side, revealing its texture while avoiding unnecessary light directed towards the sky. This creates a point of visibility at the far end of the garden and strengthens the perception of depth.
The result is a lighting environment that supports social interaction, accessibility and spatial orientation, allowing the garden to remain a calm and ecologically considerate place after dark.
