Urban Nightscapes and the Cities of Today

Cities are full of hustle, characterized by a vibrant and a chirping life, the lifestyle in the cities are adorned by many. The urban planning and development of a city are done such that the vibrant character of the city does not fade even in the late hours of the city. Although some areas in the major metropolises across the world present a gloomy picture, to address this issue a phenomenon of urban nightscape is gaining importance in the urban designs and the planning of the various cities. Nightlife venues are taking an important part in socialization as the cities have also become an origin market for their respective countries.

Graana.com through this blog elaborates the concept of ‘Urban Nightscapes’ which are becoming an important source of leisure and a major source of attraction for many in major metropolises. It is commonly heard and observed that the nightlife of certain cities is enchanting, it is because nightscapes have a great influence on the psychology of the people.

Explaining Urban Nightscapes

Urban nightscapes correspond to the urban entertainment economy which has a major role to play in defining the environment of the city. The urban nightscapes also have a link with the aesthetics of the cities that act as a conduit of leisure and entertainment activities that make nighttime in the cities more pleasurable. Moreover, it also provides a great rigour to the thriving commercial activities under the night economy. The luminosity in the cities which compel the visitors to visit a city or citizens that work in the nighttime all have a correlation with the urban nightscapes.

In other words, it can be said that nightscapes are an integral part of cities that generate economic value through the business and the entertainment industry that thrive in the night. According to the statistics, the UK generates 60bn pounds per annum from the night economy generated by the cities and streets.

Leisure and Entertainment

Leisure and entertainment are a significant part of the nightscape since most of the family time is spent at night in which people usually go to cinemas, and spend their time shopping. Hence most of the urban nightscapes focus on the entertainment and leisure industry which is about creating value from the areas that mostly operate at night. In Pakistan, the trend of food festivals is taking place at a rapid pace therefore, there is a need of planning urban nightscapes which have a great appeal for the residents. Similarly, the food streets also have a greater appeal at night time.

Commercialisation of City Spaces

Urban nightscapes pay a special focus on the commercialization of city spaces which is about commercializing spaces that attract people at night time. Since most of the leisure activities take place at night, therefore, turning nightscapes into major squares of the city is an important tool for attracting tourists at night. Metropolises across the world pay special attention to the commercialization of city spaces since it adds to the beauty of the cities at night which also increases engagement of the people at night.

Night Dimension

Some cities look more attractive at night time and their beauty is enhanced by decorating the city in a special manner. Cities like Paris, London, and Bruges pay special attention to the night dimension of the cities which gives altogether a new definition to the urban aesthetics of the city. Some cities have also created light masterplans for intensifying the beauty of the city. Combined with the heritage and the unique architecture of the city, the lights can make the city glimmer and give a new dimension to the urban nightscapes.  

Safety of Residents

Apart from increasing the urban aesthetics of the cities, the urban nightscapes act as a conduit for ensuring the safety of residents. It has been tested and reviewed in the literature that urban nightscapes help to reduce crime in the cities and they have an important role in assisting the law enforcement authorities. Contextualizing this whole scenario and for reaping the benefits out of the night economy, the urban nightscapes can provide a sense of security to the residents and the visitors alike which can help to explore the new dimensions of the cities.