LUCI Cities & Lighting Summit
Oulu

As cities and cultural districts continue to explore life after dark, lighting is no longer just about brightness but about presence, intention, and inclusion. It moves beyond urban infrastructure to become a tool for storytelling and meaning-making in public space, with social, cultural, and economic implications.

Developed in partnership with the Global Cultural Districts Network (GCDN), this session looks at how light art – in both permanent and temporary forms – can activate the night, shape perceptions of safety, support cultural vibrancy, and contribute to local economies. Drawing on international practice and city case studies, it examines how artistic lighting interventions intersect with public space, technology, and ecology – and what this means for the future of nighttime strategies in cities.

• Moderator: Gregorio Lucena Scarpella, Director – Global Cultural Districts Network (GCDN)

This session brings together experts in urban and outdoor lighting, including leading members of the CIE (International Commission on Illumination), to explore current best practices and emerging directions. How can CIE recommendations on road lighting, architectural lighting, urban lighting masterplanning, and obtrusive light be translated into concrete guidance for cities and practitioners?

As streets become multifunctional spaces shared by drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists, how can lighting respond to these evolving uses? And how can adaptive “smart” lighting and new control technologies help create more tailored, inclusive, and healthier night-time environments for the cities of tomorrow?

Convened by the CIE (International Commission on Illumination), this interactive session invites cities, practitioners, and researchers to reflect on how research-based standards and guidance can be translated into real-world practice — and how practical experience, in turn, can help shape future CIE work and standards.

• Steve Fotios, Professor of Lighting and Visual Perception – University of Sheffield School of Architecture and Landscape 
• Dionýz Gašparovský, Professor of Lighting Technology – Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava
• Erkki Ikonen, Professor of Measurement Science and Technology – Aalto University & Finnish National Metrology Institute, VTT MIKES
• Moderator: Diana Wernisch, Secretary General – International Commission on Illumination (CIE)

In this session, members of IES Finland will present the Finnish approach to lighting design, darkness and the seasonal changes that shape the Nordic way of life. These factors play a key role in how lighting quality is conceived, designed, and experienced.

As Finland shares similar conditions, challenges, and procedures with other Nordic countries, the session will also highlight Nordic collaborations, including efforts to harmonise regulations and approaches across the region.

• Aleksanteri Ekrias, Outdoor Lighting Specialist – A-Insinöörit Oy
• Annukka Larsen, Business Unit Manager – WSP Design Studio
• Simo Suomalainen, Head of Department & Lighting Designer – Ramboll Valostudio
• Moderator: Elisa Hillgen, Managing Director – Illuminating Engineering Society of Finland (IES Finland)