Published on: July 5, 2009

In association with the lighting design firm Pr H Rong of the «Department of Lighting Design & Research of Beijing Tsinghua Urban Planing & Design Institute» at Peking university, Tsinghua, Louis Clair and the Chinese Light Cibles company ( headed by Lang Cheng), won the lighting master plan for the city of NINGBO.

Ningbo is sitting on the intersection of three rivers (Fenghua, Yu Yao and Yong) sea and is the fourth largest port in China sitting just opposite of Shanghai in the bay of Hangzou.

Above images by Tsinghua University.

Here is more info by Light Cibles:

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A specific colour has been attributed to the river banks of each of the three rivers. Gold for Fenghua, Blue for Yu Yao and naturally white was chosen for the Yong river, which is formed at the meeting of the two other rivers.

Illustration by Louis Clair, Light Cibles.

Illustrating the movements of the tides the colour of the banks change following the movements of the water flows. When there is a high tide, the waters of the two rivers Fenghua and Yu Yao turn white as the pressure of the water from the Yong river rises.

While as the tide recedes the river at the city centre regains it’s gold and the blue colour. A light monument is erected at the meeting point of the rivers and the place which is suppose to have been the first port.

Upper two images by Tsinghua University.

It is constituted of three enormous masts in gold, blue and white that change colour as do the banks of the rivers. Inspired by the masts of the sailboats, the vertical lines of light are also placed on the principal façades and the buildings, these are reflected in the water and they change their colour as per the movement of the tides.

The walk along the river banks extends to about 9 Km, these walk ways are equipped with lamp posts in the form of the masts of the sailboats. When lit up they create the “spots of the moon light”, a light effect of blue light rays passing through the clouds. Upon winning the competition the team Tsinghua and Lang Cheng of Light Cibles are now part of the consulting teams for the project, which is due to be completed by 2009.