The Village Community Association

​

 

One important aspect of this is lighting of the Public Realm.

 

Typically CSD’s use very tall cobra head streetlights to efficiently light streets. These very high and bright fixtures reduce the developer’s costs as they look to meet lighting standards without giving much thought to ambience and aesthetics. They tend to block out the night sky from view. In The Village we paid very careful attention to the style and height of our street lights, the colour spectrum of the bulbs, and how they could be strategically placed to meet regulatory lighting standards while still affording Villagers the opportunity to see the night sky. Our streetlights are 14ft high and the lamp top was chosen for its traditional feel and simplicity. It became part of our logo.

 

When I visited Seaside and Kentlands in the United States (both towns designed by Duany Plater-Zyberk, Master Planners of The Village), I was struck by how the houses integrally framed the street and how their front lights contributed to it's ambience. 

 

Although we couldn't use this in the calculation to meet minimum regulatory street lighting levels, our houses, being closer to the street, do gently throw light from the front door or porch lights towards the street. While there is no requirement that residents keep a front light on from dusk to dawn, the overall effect of everyone in the neighbourhood doing this is quite dramatic and makes evening strolls that much more enjoyable. This borrowed light is a voluntary collective contribution to the overall ambience of The Village."

​

Adam Hawley   |   Vice President

The Village Developments Inc.