Aalborg Municipality, Denmark

The “House of Music Area” is part of a larger renovation project that was geared towards transforming the Aalborg waterfront from an industrialized zone into a vibrant university city and buzzing cultural hub. The designers, ÅF Lighting, strived to embrace the site’s local heritage and used stakeholder analysis to ensure the space was not only attractive, but also inviting to local residents, students, and visitors to the city.

The lighting concept mimics the musical characteristics of the House of Music and the nearby Royal Academy of Music. For example, the masts by the music park are transformed into black decorative piano “stringed masts,” with LED lines in the upper half to suggest a violin bow. The designers placed the masts irregularly to enhance the scenic construction of the open environment with its circular green lawn and trees, beautifully accenting the urban space and adding an extra spatial dimension.

“In the new space, lighting intertwines with the natural backdrop of the waterfront creating a unique landscape throughout the day and even at night. The space is adaptive and dynamic ensuring the perfect environment is created no matter the event, exhibition or season. This is achieved through tailored lighting solutions,” explained C.F. Møller, the project’s landscape architect. 

Seoul, South Korea

For more than 60 years after its construction, the Gyeongui Line was actively used for transportation. However, as the line gradually became replaced by other means of transportation and eventually switched to being underground in 2005, the area fell into neglect. The Gyeongui Line Forest Walkway Lighting Design Project revitalized this area by utilizing light to create a natural and comfortable space for local residents.

The multi-disciplinary team of designers worked together to revamp the disconnected and dilapidated railway and to embed it seamlessly into the natural environment, particularly by crafting a lighting design to mimic the subtle “glow of an autumn night”. The lighting was designed to minimize light pollution at night for local residents while creating a safe walkway for passersby throughout the day. The space has now been reborn as a popular city location with local resident satisfaction exceeding 80%.