The way we see public space can be changed between day and night. You may focus on different aspects you may not see during other times. For example, during the day, you may notice the architecture of a building more. In contrast, at night, you may focus on the details of the sidewalk as it is more than likely lit up.

Then there is the architecture of a light fixture. Does it matter? I think so because, in the daytime, you are more likely to pay attention to what a light pole may look like. At night you may not care what it looks like. You want it to light up the path you intend to go in. Secondly, a light is going to give certain areas an identity. For example, the Country Club Plaza lighting is unique to the district by its architecture. The UMKC campus has its own unique light fixtures. I have displayed the common ones I have found around campus.

Lights give the public realm a sense of security that the buildings cannot reach at night. On campus, lights are used to indicate the emergency stations with a blue light on the top. Colors are another aspect of lights; they give areas a different feeling. Some areas use a bright white or blue hue, and other lights use a soft white or yellow shade.

Overall, light serves as a multipurpose element in the public realm, whether it’s to blend into its environment, light up a dark path, create a sense of place, or give a place security at night. Lights are essential in creating a great public space; we would be lost in the dark without them.