The Rights to The City, Improving inclusivity in urban public places through lighting design for marginalised communities
Author
Lund, Kaja Glenne
Term
4. Term
Education
Publication year
2023
Submitted on
2023-05-25
Pages
94
Abstract
Around the world, marginalized groups face unwanted attention in public space, and many people avoid certain places because of gender-based fears. Universal design aims to make cities usable for everyone, yet access is still limited for many vulnerable people. This study investigates how lighting can help make public urban spaces in Oslo more inclusive for LGBT+ people. Methods: We combined a literature review, case studies of three urban sites, focus groups, and a simple field experiment using handheld torches. Two focus groups were formed, each with five LGBT+ participants in Oslo aged 30–60 with varied social identities. First, participants were interviewed about how they avoid risk in urban places. Then, using a visual ethnography approach, they used a video camera to document their own experiences without the researcher present. Findings: Participants reported a dual need: at times to stay hidden in darkness, and at the same time to see their surroundings and other people. In the experiment, they preferred warm lighting and wanted to beautify places by highlighting details. Conclusion: The study points to lighting design strategies that can support inclusion, such as enhancing details and improving legibility by lighting vertical surfaces (for example, walls and facades) so spaces are easier to read. Similar studies should be conducted in other urban locations, and the findings compared and possibly confirmed with control groups from non-marginalized populations.
Over hele verden oplever marginaliserede grupper uønsket opmærksomhed i det offentlige rum, og kønsbaseret frygt får mange til at undgå bestemte byrum. Universelt design har til formål at gøre byen brugbar for alle, men adgangen er fortsat begrænset for mange sårbare mennesker. Dette studie undersøger, hvordan belysning kan gøre offentlige byrum i Oslo mere inkluderende for LGBT+-personer. Metoder: Vi kombinerede en litteraturgennemgang, casestudier af tre byrum, fokusgrupper og et enkelt feltforsøg med håndlygter. Der blev etableret to fokusgrupper med hver fem LGBT+-deltagere i Oslo i alderen 30–60 år og med forskellige sociale identiteter. Først blev de interviewet om deres risikoundgåelsesadfærd i byrum. Derefter brugte de, med en tilgang fra visuel etnografi, et videokamera til selv at dokumentere deres oplevelser uden forskerens tilstedeværelse. Resultater: Deltagerne beskrev et dobbelt behov: nogle gange at kunne gemme sig i mørket og samtidig at kunne se omgivelserne og andre mennesker. I eksperimentet foretrak de varm belysning og ønskede at forskønne steder ved at fremhæve detaljer. Konklusion: Studiet peger på belysningsstrategier, der kan understøtte inklusion, såsom at fremhæve detaljer og øge læsbarheden og orienterbarheden ved at lyse lodrette flader op (f.eks. vægge og facader), så rummet er lettere at afkode. Lignende undersøgelser bør gennemføres i andre byrum, og resultaterne kan sammenlignes og eventuelt bekræftes med kontrolgrupper fra ikke-marginaliserede befolkninger.
[This apstract has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]