From Australia to Aberdeen - city landmarks to be put in the spotlight
A project to showcase statues, gateways, civic spaces and landmark buildings in the city's being drawn up with the design consultancy behind the Sydney Opera House
Proposals to help Aberdeen shine as never before are to be drawn up under the City Centre Masterplan – with a project to showcase statues, gateways, civic spaces and landmark buildings.
“Aberdeen in Colour” will put the city’s architecture and streets in the spotlight – literally, with creative lighting designed by the same firm behind the Sydney Opera House. Steensen Varming have been appointed to develop the creative lighting strategy and implementation plan after a competitive tendering process. The award-winning design consultancy was formed in 1933 and has illuminated World Heritage Sites, including Sydney Opera House.
It’s hoped their lighting scheme across the city centre will drive the night-time economy – getting more people using our streets after dark.
Sydney Opera House
Councillor Marie Boulton, Aberdeen City Council’s lead on the City Centre, said:
“These installations could help us build on initiatives like SPECTRA, our hugely-successful annual lighting festival, and even become works of art in themselves. It will be exciting to see the proposals forward for consideration.”
New and historic buildings could become part of the project, with dynamic and interactive approaches to lighting considered. In keeping with the CCMP’s “Living City for Everyone” theme, “Aberdeen in Colour” would be designed to support visually-impaired people, creating a sense of belonging for all residents and visitors.
Energy efficient lighting would be used and the project would, where possible, integrate with Aberdeen’s Digital Strategy. The proposals will also consider residential amenity and analyse the effect on the city’s skyline.
In addition “Aberdeen in Colour” would highlight potential linkages with the “Aberdeen 365” events programme and look to complement the overall Masterplan programme so benefits across projects can be locked in.
A public engagement exercise is to be held to help inform the strategy, which is expected to be completed in early 2018 and will include costings. In due course the proposals will go to councillors, who would decide whether or not to progress the plans.
After touring Aberdeen’s city centre, Team Leader Mirjam Roos from Steensen Varming said: “We are honoured to have the opportunity to work together with Aberdeen City Council to transform the city’s night-scape through the power of light.
“Aberdeen has a very unique and distinct architecture and street scape which is currently not apparent at night-time. We are excited about the opportunity to reveal Aberdeen’s historic architecture and hidden laneways and to create a new pedestrian experience at night-time."