LUCI Cities & Lighting Summit
London
PROGRAMME
Wednesday 23 April 2025
Venue: Guildhall London – 71 Basinghall Street, LONDON EC2V 7HH
10:00 – 14:00 Executive Committee meeting (LUCI EC members only)
14:00 – 16:00 LUCI Working Group meeting (LUCI members only)
- Lighting Masterplan Working Group
Moderator: Jasmine van der Pol, LUCI Programme Manager - Lighting London – Discussion Group
Moderator: Andrew Rogers, M&E Manager – City of London Corporation
Venue: NLA – The London Centre – 3 Aldermanbury, London EC2V 7HH
15:45 – 16:15 LUCI General Assembly registration
16:15 – 18:15 LUCI General Assembly (LUCI members & and invitees only)
Learn about LUCI’s current and upcoming activities. The General Assembly is an important networking moment, where new members are introduced, where questions can be raised with the Executive Committee, and where members vote on the annual activity and financial reports of our association.
18:30 – 20:30 Cities & Lighting Summit Welcome Reception
food & beverages included
- Fatiha el Moudni, Mayor of Rabat & LUCI President
- John Edwards, Deputy Chairman of Streets and Walkway Committee – City of London Corporation
- Nick McKeogh, Chief Executive – NLA
20:30 City of London ‘by light’ – Evening walking tours (approx 1hr)
Experience first-hand the urban lighting projects and designs of the Square Mile! You’ll be able to choose from the tours below:
Discover the City through a unique Body mapping experience. Body mapping is a creative participatory research method used to explore, document and communicate people’s experiences and emotions. It is the process of mapping and drawing our emotions and embodied responses to the world around us onto an outline of our bodies.
The method acknowledges and draws on the fact that the experiences of safety, or the inverse experiences of danger and discomfort in public spaces, are often felt and embodied as emotions, sensations and feelings such as shortness of breath, anxiety, elevated heart rates or clenched fists. The method supports participants to communicate emotions that may be difficult to verbalise and provides visual representations of how people feel and subjectively experience a space.
What will we be asking you to do? We will be conducting two body mapping exercises in separate locations to reflect on how the design of public spaces might be reimagined to better support diverse experiences and needs. We will use the workshop to gain a deeper understanding of how urban environments shape your experiences of safety and belonging at night and use these insights to inform ways to reimagine those spaces and potential design interventions deriving from these. We will end the workshop with a discussion of the body maps participants have created and any asks that emerge from the study.
At each site, we will ask participants to reflect on the physical and emotional experience of either moving through or spending time in the public space. We will invite them to draw and map their experience.
- Guided by Publica
This walk will explore the City and showcases the recent LED upgrade and the new Control Management System (CMS) that was implemented, to align with the objectives of the City Lighting Strategy.
Experience first-hand how these enhancements transformed the City’s after dark, improving energy efficiency, and creating a more sustainable and legible urban environment.
- Guided by the City of London Corporation & DW Windsor
Explore London’s origins on this walk through the heart of the Roman city. We will look at both hugely impressive remains, and intriguing smaller parts of Londinium that most people just don’t know about.
We will look at why the city grew where it did, meet some of its inhabitants, and find out how it later became almost empty.
The sheer size of Roman London was truly impressive. Come along and discover the monumental history hidden beneath our feet.
- Guided by the City of London Guides Association
Thursday 24 April 2025
Venue: Barbican Centre, 3rd Floor – Entrance: Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS
Registration will be located outside of the Garden Room on the 3rd floor, which can be reached via the main lifts or stairs.
- MC: Emily Gabb, Head of Strategic Partnerships – NLA
09:00 – 10:00 Registrations & Coffee
10:00 – 10:30 Cities & Lighting Summit Opening
- Fatiha el Moudni, Mayor of Rabat & LUCI President
- Shravan Joshi, Chairman, Planning and Transportation Committee – City of London Corporation
- Katie Stewart, Executive Director for Environment – City of London Corporation
- Mark Burton-Page, LUCI General Director
10:30 – 12:00 Urban Lighting in the City of London
Hear from key experts working on the City Lighting Strategy and ongoing projects: understand the context, main features, challenges and opportunities for the future.
- Ian Hughes, City Operations Director – City of London Corporation
- Mark Major, Director & Benz Roos, Associate Partner – Speirs Major Light Architecture
- Sarah Gaventa, Trustee and former Director – Illuminated River Foundation
12:15 – 14:00 Networking lunch
14:00 – 15:30 Parallel sessions
Choose your session! Come learn and discuss with peers and experts.
This session explores how to focus urban lighting and lighting policy on evidence-based strategies to improve the quality of life of diverse citizens. This discussion includes reporting findings and recommendations from the four-year European ENLIGHTENme project, a comparative study of lighting, citizen participation and innovative lighting design in three cities (Amsterdam, Bologna and Tartu), that finalised in February 2025.
- Don Slater, Associate Professor – London School of Economics and Political Science
- Simona Tondelli, Full professor in Urban and Regional Planning – University of Bologna
- Clarisse Tavin, Group Manager/Major Programmes and Projects, City Public Realm – City of London Corporation
- Moderator: Jasmine van der Pol, Programme Manager – LUCI Association
How can lighting include, as well as exclude a range of people? How do we secure an equitable experience of place, and avoid unintended consequences from the choices we make?
We invite participants to explore the role of lived experience and to challenge preconceptions about who we are designing for. We start by asking: “How do you feel?”
- Harriet Bell, Access Advisor, & Morgan Wild, Access Officer – City of London Corporation
- Farhad Rahim, Associate Director, & Jean Hewitt, Technical Lead in the Inclusive Environments team – Buro Happold
How can public authorities and private stakeholders work together to provide the best lighting solutions, through the use of design guidelines, policies and best practices to help curate the nightscape after dark and minimise light pollution?
- Benz Roos, Associate Partner – Speirs Major Light Architecture
- Rob McNicol, Assistant Director, Policy and Strategy – City of London Corporation
- Charles Begley, Chief Executive – London Property Alliance
- Sarah Banham, Head of Communities & Sustainability – Battersea Power Station Development Company
- Moderator: Emily Gabb, Head of Strategic Partnerships – NLA
This session will be held as a dialogue between cities and private stakeholders – everyone can join in!
15:30 – 16:00 Tea & Coffee Break
16:00 – 17:30 Lighting for all: building safer, more inclusive public spaces after dark
At night, public spaces can feel unsafe, especially for vulnerable groups often due to inadequate lighting. Adding more light isn’t always the solution. How can lighting contribute to making public spaces safer and more inclusive?
This plenary session will explore how a collaborative, multi-stakeholder approach can help create well-lit environments that foster safety, accessibility, and inclusivity for all users, at night.
- Elizabeth Johnston, Executive Director – European Forum for Urban Security
- Daniel Blyth, Senior researcher – Publica
- Russell Pengelly, Design Out Crime Officer (DOCO) – City of London Police
- Councillor Imran Alam – Glasgow City Council
- Moderator: Elettra Bordonaro, Founder and creative director – Light Follows Behaviour
Venue: Elizabethan – Crown Pier, Victoria Embankment EC4Y 9AY
18:30 Boat tour embarkment from Crown Pier
18:45 – 22:00 Evening reception and Boat Tour of the Illuminated River
Step aboard the elegant Elizabethan for a unique evening on the Thames, exploring London’s stunning Illuminated River project. Departing from Crown Pier, guests will be guided by the former Director of the Illuminated River Foundation Sarah Gaventa and Signify’s Mike Simpson, in an inspiring journey beneath some of the capital’s most iconic, artistically lit bridges.
Supported by the Illuminated River Foundation and Signify – food & beverages included
22:00 – 22:15 Disembarkment at Crown Pier
Friday 25 April 2025
Venue: Barbican Centre, 3rd Floor – Entrance: Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS
Registration will be located outside of the Garden Room on the 3rd floor, which can be reached via the main lifts or stairs.
- MC: Patricia Brown MBE, Director – Central
09:00 – 09:30 Registrations & Coffee
09:30 – 11:00 LUCI Talks: How lighting can pave the way to more sustainable cities
According to the UN Sustainable Development Goal n.11, sustainable cities are those committed to advancing social, economic, and environmental sustainability. To truly achieve this, urban design must account for the interconnectedness of these three pillars. Urban lighting plays a vital role in this balance, contributing not only to quality of life and energy efficiency but also enhancing the cultural profile and aesthetic fabric of a city.
- Andreina Seijas, Founder and Principal of Night Tank
As cities worldwide strive to become more sustainable, the night presents both a challenge and an opportunity. In this talk, Andreina Seijas will explore how nighttime urbanism, public lighting strategies, and climate adaptation intersect.
Drawing from research and practice—including participatory night walks with students in Paris and studies on night-time spending and climate impacts—she’ll present ways in which cities can move beyond technical plans toward holistic, people-centred strategies that embrace the night as a key dimension of sustainable urban life.
This talk will invite conference participants to consider how lighting design, lived experience, and climate realities can converge into coherent, inclusive night strategies.
- Lars Ocklund, Head of City Lighting & Christina Vildinge, Research & Innovation Manager – City of Gothenburg
More than half of the world’s population lives in urban areas, a number expected to rise to 70% by 2050. This rapid urbanization presents challenges that must be met sustainably, balancing ecological, economic, and social needs. Light plays a crucial role in shaping urban environments, enhancing safety, accessibility, and inclusivity. However, excessive artificial lighting can negatively impact ecosystems and climate, making it essential to find a sustainable balance between light and darkness.
The City of Gothenburg, in collaboration with the University of Gothenburg and supported by Formas, is leading an innovative project exploring this balance. The initiative examines how urban lighting can address societal challenges such as social inclusion, energy efficiency, and light pollution. It emphasizes the need for collaboration among city stakeholders at multiple levels to ensure lighting knowledge is effectively applied for societal and environmental benefits.
A key aspect of the project is the use of Gothenburg’s digital twin, a tool for sustainable urban planning. The project aims to transform urban lighting to support both people and nature while contributing to global sustainability goals. It aligns with three key UN Sustainable Development Goals: Reduced Inequalities (Goal 10), Sustainable Cities and Communities (Goal 11), and Life on Land (Goal 15).
- Sara Castagné, Lighting designer and CEO & Maelle Tertrais, Lighting designer – Concepto
Towards a second-hand city?
Why throw away what’s already there when you can salvage, renovate and reuse? In 2021, Concepto was commissioned to design the lighting for the Athletes’ Village at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. From the outset, this high-profile project was intended to be environmentally virtuous, with strong ambitions in terms of the circular economy and low carbon impact.
The Concepto team decided to take advantage of this opportunity and go deeper in the process, by exploring a field that is still relatively unexplored in public lighting in France: upcycling. This exploration brought many surprises and often unexpected questions to both Concepto and city’s key players. Reuse, yes, but what kind of design to adopt? Should we try to recreate a ‘like-new’ look or embrace a ‘bricolage’ style instead? In the end, can we reconcile reuse and aesthetics?
In terms of lighting, how best to provide lighting in increasingly green spaces? The story of Concepto’s project – from commissioning to delivery, through design and the search for materials – is also an opportunity to address new technical issues circular economy can raise: sourcing materials, quality control, guarantees for assembled products, and so much more. It’s another way of looking at the future of lighting design in the ecological city of tomorrow.
11:00 – 12:00 Open Conference Sessions
The famous Open Conference Sessions (OCS) are short & sweet 20-minute breakouts to engage with LUCI Members presenting their ongoing urban lighting projects and initiatives.
12:00 – 13:30 Networking lunch
13:30 – 15:00 Parallel sessions
Choose your session! Come learn and discuss with peers and experts.
This session will open up a dialogue between cities and experts from North American and Europe to explore common challenges and good practices to share on both sides of the ocean.
- Dan Caroselli, Connectivity Policy Manager for the Bureau of Street Lighting – City of Los Angeles
- George Burciaga, Managing Partner – The U.S. Roundtable
- John Roberson, Chief Operating Officer – City of Chicago
- Zoltán Pap, Managing Director – Budapest Municipality BDK Budapest Flood and Public Lighting Ltd
- Paco Bunnik, Chief Urban Designer – City of Amsterdam
- Heike Besier, Deputy Director, Public Space Design – City of Leipzig
- Moderator: Leni Schwendinger, Creative Director – Leni Schwendinger Light Projects
How can lighting impact the attractiveness of places after dark, driving communities, creating a sense of belonging, and supporting the night-time economy, while remaining sustainable.
- Julieta Cuneo, Policy Lead, 24 Hour London – Greater London Authority
- Johan Hugues, co-CEO – Blachere Illumination
- Guillaume Aniorté, Executive Director – Quartier des spectacles International
- Moderator: Mark Burton-Page, LUCI General Director
Urban lighting has seen many technological innovations in the past few years. Today, discussions around AI are trending, some even say it is a major breakthrough for automatisation and city responsiveness. How does AI and digital services in general impact the way we plan, manage and maintain our public lighting systems? How do we balance the environmental and societal costs and measure the potential benefits?
- Olli Markkanen, Head of Unit, Urban Environment – City of Helsinki
- Filip Broekaert, Asset Manager Public Lighting – Fluvius
- Andy Rogers, Mechanical & Electrical Manager – City of London Corporation
15:00 – 15:30 Tea & Coffee Break
15:30 – 16:30 Lighting the future, cities at the crossroads of inclusion, sustainability and resilience
In the Summit’s closing plenary, elected officials and key players in the urban lighting field will be invited to share their vision and ideas for the future.
- How is urban lighting evolving to be more inclusive, sustainable, and enhance wellbeing, for a better Quality of Life?
- How can lighting shape the adaptability, resilience, and transformation of cities?
- What are the key challenges and opportunities for urban lighting in the next 5–10 years?
Speakers:
- Alison Gowman CBE, Alderman in the City of London Corporation
- Ari Alatossava, Mayor of Oulu
- Fatiha El Moudni, Mayor of Rabat & LUCI President
- Bruno Paternot, Vice President of Montpellier Mediterranean Metropolis & LUCI Vice President
- Leonardo Williams, Mayor of Durham, NC
- Moderator: Patricia Brown MBE, Director at Central
16:45 Summit Group Photo
Venue: Livery Hall, Guildhall – 71 Basinghall Street, LONDON EC2V 7HH
18:00 – 20:30 Festive Closing Reception
Supported by Blachere – food & beverages included
20:30 City of London ‘by light’ – Evening walking tours (approx 1hr)
Experience first-hand the urban lighting projects and designs of the Square Mile! You’ll be able to choose from the tours below:
In a novel format for LUCI, the walk will be led by Harriet Bell, a wheelchair user and Access Advisor, and Morgan Wild, a Design officer from the City of London Corporation. We will move at Harriet’s pace, challenging you to think about lighting the environment differently, about the juxtaposition of old and new, and how lighting can improve access.
The walk will take about an hour. Starting on Basinghall St, we take a gentle wander from the Guildhall Yard to Gresham St and its many offices, before crossing to the thoroughfare of Cheapside, with shops and One New Change centre, and ending at the spectacular West front of St Paul’s Cathedral. Following the principles of the City Corporations’ Supplementary Planning Document we will think about lighting improving experience; exploring how we respond to the experience of others, and what barriers to inclusion lighting can create, remove, or mitigate.
- Guided by the City of London Corporation
Join us for a captivating evening walk along the Thames, for an in-depth exploration of the Illuminated River project, the longest public art commission in the world. Led by Sarah Gaventa, Trustee & Former Director of the Illuminated River Foundation, Jonathan Grittins and Elga Niemann from Atelier 10, this night walk will take a closer look at lighting design and technical innovation that bring London’s bridges to life after dark.
Through this expert-led walk-through, you will gain insight into the challenges, and collaborative efforts behind the installation, with an opportunity to see key design details up close.
- Guided by the Illuminated River Foundation & Atelier 10
This walk will explore the City and showcases the recent LED upgrade and the new Control Management System (CMS) that was implemented, to align with the objectives of the City Lighting Strategy.
Experience first-hand how these enhancements transformed the City’s after dark, improving energy efficiency, and creating a more sustainable and legible urban environment.
- Guided by the City of London Corporation & Publica
Saturday 26 April 2025
Optional programme
(Please note the visits have limited capacity, registration is required)
In the morning you can choose from:
10:00 – 12:00 Visit of St. Paul’s Cathedral
St Paul’s Cathedral is a vibrant working church, a national treasure and a London icon. Designed by Sir Christopher Wren in the late 17th century, the Cathedral has been the Cathedral Church of the Diocese of London for over 1,400 years. Before your visit, please check the safety and security protocol.
– Up to 50 guests (this is a self-guided visit; average length is 2h) –
11:00 Visit of 22 Bishopsgate, Viewing Platform “Horizon 22”
22 Bishopsgate is a people-led smart building, designed to meet the changing needs of the modern occupier and inspire a new way of working. Located on Level 58, Horizon 22 is London’s highest free viewing platform, offering 300-degree views of the City, showcasing its most iconic landmarks.
– Up to 30 guests –
In the afternoon you can choose from:
14:00 – 16:00 Visit of St. Paul’s Cathedral
– Up to 50 guests (this is a self-guided visit; average length is 2h) –
14:50 Visit of Tower Bridge
The Tower Bridge is London’s defining landmark. In this visit, you’ll be able to take in stunning panoramic views and experience the thrill of seeing London life through the Tower’s Glass Floors, and uncover the unsung stories of its heroes, while soaking in the atmosphere of the working Bridge in one of London’s true hidden gems: the magnificent Victorian Engine Rooms.
– Up to 40 guests (delegates not taking part can select time on their own via website) –
Photo credits
©Jason Hawkes, City of London; Illuminated River Millennium Bridge ©James Newton; ©Rami Saarikorpi; ©City of Montpellier; ©Thames Luxury Charters