Urban Lighting and Atmospheric Perception in Historic Sites: Gamla Stan

Sammanfattning

Light has the power to transform spaces and tell stories. In historic urban environments,lighting can revive associations with the past and shape how places are experiencedafter dark. In Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s Old Town, dim and warm lighting contributes to anatmosphere perceived as historic and authentic.This thesis investigates how lighting contributes to the atmosphere of Gamla Stan and howthis atmosphere is perceived by its users. The study focuses on three sites with differenturban characteristics: Tyska Brinken, Prästgatan, and Stortorget. A mixed-method approachcombining lighting measurements, interviews, questionnaires, and personal observations wasused.The analysis included measurements of illuminance, correlated color temperature, colorrendering index, and luminance documentation. Participants described their impressionsthrough a word cloud questionnaire and follow-up questions while watching recordednighttime walks through the sites. Observations were documented through notes andphotographs.The findings revealed recurring atmospheric interpretations among participants, suggestingthat atmosphere can be perceived similarly through intersubjective experience. They alsoshowed that these interpretations were influenced not only by lighting qualities, but alsoby spatial and contextual factors. Finally, these findings were translated into an initialframework proposing improvements for the lighting of Gamla Stan and similar historic urbanenvironments.