PEOPLE

WE-EF asked Landon Bannister, Director of Southern Lighting & Distribution about the Riverbend Park project.

Q. How would you describe the final project result?
A. Given the challenges faced across the project the one pleasing thing is that the quality of light was never compromised. This is evident of an evening where you can see a distinct hierarchy of lighting across the various spaces, and appreciate the attention given to mitigating the impact of spill light. Witnessing people using the spaces after dark tells us that the designers got a lot right.

Q. What did you love about the project, and why?
A. There was a willingness to look at the lighting holistically from the outset. Human factors regarding how the space was to be used after dark were considered in detail alongside environmental concerns. Thought was given to things like pedestrian traffic flow and safety, in dual consideration with factors such as limiting the impacts of light pollution and reducing the impacts of light on the local wildlife.

Q. What were the biggest challenges?
A. Budgets and lead times, the two standard hallmarks of any project! This did lead to some value management but again, the pleasing thing was the primary lighting objectives were never sacrificed during this process.

Q. How do you think the lighting contributed to the project outcome?
A. It’s fairly obvious that modern cities need to maximise their usage of public space, and lighting therefore becomes a key element to extend useable hours of these areas. This is even more prevalent in a southern city like Launceston that experiences long, dark winters. Cities know they need to encourage people to get out and about at night in order to stimulate their night-time economies and help deliver positive health outcomes for their citizens. The lighting here has clearly achieved this. I have enjoyed watching joggers, people hanging out, pedestrian passing through, and barbeques continuing on within the park, long beyond the fall of darkness. I think the value that adds to the community cannot be underestimated.