The public realm in itself has many elements like trees lighting fences and walls. Some elements have more defined features like to keep people out. others welcome people to use them like benches and low level walls. Lighting here is used to illuminate the space one uses for use when there is little to no light available from the sun. lighting alone creates a feeling of security and allows one to have visual contact with the world arounf us. photos seen above are pictures that have been edited to demonstrate the type of lighting present in the Troost Park located between Tracy Ave. and The Paseo Boulevard. The fixtures themselves are typical streetlight fixtures that house a high pressure sodium light. These lights are used for the everyday light pole one typically grew up with in their own neighborhood. The purpose of a HPS is to create a high intensity discharge of light which causes light to beam out.

Above are images that display the types of lights present in Troost lake. Troost park is illuminated by Highpressure Sodium lights. these lights are not found all over Troost park and the playground on the northwest corner of the park is completely dark come sundown. However, Troost lake uses a combination of street lights that arc over a path and lamp posts. Where there are lamp post there are people. Lamp post create a radiating light that consumes the area around the post and if combined with other lamp post the area is illuminated by non intensive light. Troost Lake’s only Achilles heel when it comes to lighting is that the park pavilion in Troost lake has no lighting and is only illuminated by the street lighting provided for cars. Essentially the tiny park pavilion is in the shadows of a street light.

Above are diagrams of lighting of the park after sundown. The top two are illumination diagrams of Troost Park and Lake. Below are circulation diagrams of the park and its paths. The park is mainly grass and playing field and the playing fields are given more importance than the playground. It is understandable that playgrounds are not used at night for playing purposes. However, the tall and dark playground would potentially seem inviting to unwanted activities that can put children at risk later, during prime usage hours. The playing field is understandably illuminated by aggressive lights that are buffered to the east by trees but to the west they shine freely into multifamily buildings. It is true that light can be a good thing but too much light can also be a nuisance if its not properly paired with trees or walls. Troost Lake on the contrary is very well illuminated for the exception of a pavilion in the southwestern corner of the park.