Placemaking in Historic Sites with Lighting Scheme Case Study: Naghshe-Jahan Square, Isfahan, Iran

This study aims to investigate how lighting design can be used as an environmental design feature within historic sites in cities to turn a space into a place through placemaking processes. Accordingly, the research question is: What artificial lighting design aspects need to be taken into account in historic sites within cities through a placemaking process? Naghshe-Jahan Square’s in Isfahan, Iran, is chosen as the case study as it is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This research uses ethnographic research methods as a qualitative research method for collecting data about the lighting scheme of Naghshe-Jahan Square. Based on the main aim of placemaking which is to Strengthen people’s connection with the public places they share in order to maximize shared value, this research uses two ethnographical techniques; behavior observation and semi structured interviews with the visitors of the historic site. Accordingly, people’s behaviors and interaction with the site and their opinions on how the lighting of the site makes them feel and facilitates their needs is collected. The findings of this study suggest that artificial lighting can positively influence turning historic sites to places at night-time and accordingly improve the quality of people’s lives in cities.