Illuminating visual narratives: the impact of street illumination on nighttime spatial experience and identity in ceremonial streetscapes

Abstract

This study examines how street illumination transforms visual landscape narratives and civic identity within Colombo's ceremonial streetscapes after dark. Focusing on Independence Avenue and Galle Face Green, it employs a mixed-method approach combining quantitative lighting measurements with qualitative user perception surveys. Illuminance levels and color temperature were recorded across six spatial zones, while 48 participants evaluated spatial legibility, emotional comfort, symbolic resonance, and place attachment. Results show that lighting hierarchy, temperature, and spatial sequencing strongly influence nighttime experience. Independence Avenue's hierarchical, monument-centered illumination strengthens civic symbolism but reduces spatial coherence, while Galle Face Green's diffuse ambient lighting enhances emotional comfort but weakens symbolic identity. Warm-white illumination (2700 to 3000K) increases comfort and attachment, whereas cooler tones improve monument visibility at the expense of atmospheric warmth. The study concludes that effective ceremonial illumination requires integrated strategies, including accent lighting for monuments (below 100 lux, 3000K), warm ambient light for social zones, and coherent gradients to sustain narrative unity. The research offers a framework for context-sensitive lighting design that balances functional and cultural dimensions of urban nightscapes, guiding landscape architects and policymakers in creating culturally resonant nighttime environments