Smart Lódz
Smart lighting plays vital role in boosting social and economic cohesion to regenerate city centre
Lodz, the 3rd largest city in Poland, has a rich and diverse urban heritage as it was once the leading centre of the textile industry. Faced with economic decline, many factories were abandoned and the city, particularly the Ksiezy Mlyn area, had become neglected. In 2014, the local authorities launched the Integrated Development Strategy for Lodz 2020+ to restore its character, rebuild community life and create a resilient future.
Former factories benefited from a full overhaul to provide office space, art studios, workshops, food and drink outlets and premises for micro-entrepreneurs. Bike paths and pedestrian zones were created, new benches and bicycle racks were installed, trees were planted and the public lighting was upgraded.
Create attractive public spaces at night
It was vital for the city to install aesthetic street lighting that would make the area attractive both by day and by night. They wanted the city to be as lively by night as by day, to encourage the local community to interact after dark and to drive economic growth.
Street lighting to reflect the city’s past
It was equally important that the street lights reflect the city’s strong industrial and artistic heritage, a source of pride for the residents. Many of the buildings in the area were renovated with special attention lavished on the historic architectural details to restore the façades to their original glory. The local authorities wanted the street lights to help recreate the area’s past look.
Latest lighting technology to minimise energy, costs and footprint
The city officials were keen to use the latest energy-saving technologies to minimise operating costs and implement more eco-friendly infrastructure for a truly modern and smart city. They wanted a better quality of light that would enhance visibility and safety when people were using the public spaces, especially the newly pedestrianised zones and bike paths.
We worked with the city to implement smart lighting that would enable it to achieve all of the above goals.
Classic ALBANY on bespoke poles enrich city’s character
The city’s architect chose the ALBANY LED with its classical forms to light the city centre streets as it perfectly complements the 19th-century residential and industrial buildings. The luminaires have been installed on bespoke VIADUKT poles – designed and developed by our Schréder STUDIO team – to incorporate the city’s coat of arms. The ensembles enrich the streetscape and enhance the city’s historic character.