This 3rd in a series of 5 follows:
Destination: Nelson! (Part 1)
6 Sep. 2014
Destination: Nelson! (Part 2) - Festival of Lights
13 Sep. 2014
The reason for this series found in the name: turning Nelson! proper into a destination-with-distinct-purpose instead of it remaining just a stopover-with-shopping-possibilities: provided currency exchange-rates are favorable.
Nelson-as-is
With Baker Street the center of the Nelson universe: there bringing much-touted and relied-on heritage manifestations into the present is vital for attracting the multitude. The whole - rather drab in collective coma most of the year - only during high tourist-season somewhat screened behind leafy trees and brash-petunia flower-baskets/beds. And pretty much closing-down - little to do for tourists, anybody really! - after about 7pm.
With stores closing around 5 - rather obvious economic opportunities curiously remain unrecognized thus untapped by the downtown-business group!
The idea behind these posts is to color heritage-downtown - as done successfully all over the Western world - with brightly-energetic paint for daytime and lighting-magic added after dark. Then - the downtown experience blocked to vehicle-traffic: Nelson alive! and open for memorable socializing, entertaining - business! - well into the night! High energy!
The City - with no vision of itself for now and the future - consistently leaves stabs at improvement to outside-consultants: off-the-rack results promptly unremarkable - none ever focused on a Nelson transformation. At best fits-and-spurts without cohesive purpose.
The latest consultant is on the way: for "lighting, benches and banners" - vaguely announced by the Chief Administrative Officer - not his job! - with Council - clearly theirs - passively silent. Low energy!
The city's self-limiting scope - represented by the in-name-only Downtown Master Plan - makes one wonder what creative long-term impact this consultant may be ready to bring - aside from more comfort-clutter. Seeing that he will probably spring from the M&Ms group - responsible for said in-name-only plan.
Nelson-as-could-be
He promotes an architectural design concept that goes beyond utilization, where lighting can have a high impact on a person's emotional states.
He is Dean Skira - an acclaimed architectural-lighting designer - widely working/awarded internationally. As a matter of course - taking lighting past the merely functional-if-pretty - in urban, landscape, commercial and residential settings - to being artistic statements.
From gently, sensitively illuminating a whole town of considerable age and beauty in Croatia to edgy light-towers in the Italian Pavilion at La Biennale di Venezia, in Venice, Italy arguably the most prestigious international arts meet.
Light - medium for artistic expression.
This project changes industrial blight into a magical environment of majestic proportions. Cranes in the harbor of Pula, Croatia.
The extraordinary ordinary!
Nelson with possibilities beyond predictable heritage and current administration: the first step needs to be a locally con/perceived vision - no matter how fuzzy, inarticulate in the beginning. But in movement! Clearly - experts of whatever kind would eventually enter: but only as support - not to originate!
We can be and do better!
Next post:
Destination: Nelson! (Part 4) - (Trans)Formation
Images:
Skira D.O.O. Electrical Installation Design
Pula, Croatia
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