University of Glasgow’s Western Campus redevelopment

The University of Glasgow’s expansion known as the Western Campus provides substantial new areas of public realm space within the West End of Glasgow. The lighting team at Arup provided a lighting design that would help shape a positive experience for users and ensure a safe environment at night. An initial lighting strategy by Arup was produced for the site to provide guidance, and used the concept of borrowed light from buildings to ensure energy use at night was kept to a minimum. The concept provides a clear hierarchy of light across the site focusing on use, proximities and scale.

Spaces are not lit evenly but to a suitable level of light and brightness depending on the width and use of the space. Each garden has a different lit character. In narrower spaces, vertical brightness is higher to ensure users have the required facial recognition to feel safe. In wider spaces edges are brighter and the space is allowed to become darker to the centre. At the lower rain gardens, steps and ramps are lit from handrail lighting to minimise light spill and a small amount of accent light from columns models plants. The design carefully balances visual comfort and brightness for improved user safety. The spaces have a unique lit character which makes them welcoming making the Western Campus a popular route for the public to walk and cycle at night. The increased level of use in turn makes the space safe.

Luminaires were selected on the basis of optical performance, green fabrication credentials and robustness. The columns used have interchangeable components, including optics and can be broken down if required in future and re-used, all are from recycled aluminium. Low level lighting inserted into the stone benches can be easily accessed and maintained ensuring longevity of the scheme.
Lighting controls play a key part in the success of the scheme, where a DALI dimmable control system is used across the site and sensors in the columns react to user occupancy and lights are dimmed down to lower levels when the space is not in use, this ensures a darker natural habitat for the ecology within Kelvingrove Park at night.
The scheme is an example of how thoughtful light design can maximise the use of public spaces in cities at night and foster a safer environment for all.