Cariboni group

The street is a place for mobility, a key element in the development of positive urban design. In order to design streets, it is necessary to define the types of user and the way that a public space is travelled. While in the past the main objective of street network design was to move the most cars as quickly as possible, now there are other factors considered to be fundamental, such as the habitability of the areas that the streets traverse, and the well-being of those that use them - not just drivers, but also pedestrians, cyclists and skateboarders.

The social impact of street design

A good street design can have a positive impact on the local community, promoting inclusion and social cohesion. The aim of the new approach to street design is therefore that of transforming the street from a simple place for vehicle movement to a space that connects people to each other and with the surrounding area.

Nowadays the street can become an environment that is safe, healthy and accessible to all, including children, the elderly and the disabled. In this light, it is necessary not only to rethink the flow of rapid and slow-moving mobility, but also to render streets welcoming places in which to spend time.

There are various factors that can influence the design of a street:

• incline, materials, and lane speed limits;
  
• the level of separation between vehicle and non-vehicle lanes;
  
• the presence of services or areas for seating and rest, as well as pedestrian shelters;
  
• parking spaces;
  
• the valorisation of architectural and environmental elements;
  
• the presence of vegetation.
  

Street lighting as a fundamental element in the humanisation of streets

Street lighting has always served to make streets safe and usable at night. However, with the new approach to design, it is not enough to simply illuminate the road surface as required by regulations. Design is now also centred on people as well as cars. People travel along streets much more slowly than cars and are able to see many more things. For a pedestrian, a street not only has lanes, signs and cars. There are also pavements, cycle lanes, buildings, window displays, shop signs, benches, advertising, information boards, plants, animals and other people... Everything that a pedestrian sees as they travel along a street is part of the street landscape, both during the day and at night.

The shape and finishing of the lighting elements must be in line with the context and must help to improve the general aesthetics of the area. The light must be distributed and oriented in order to valorise the entire space: surfaces both horizontal and vertical, and physical elements along the route. The colour, the intensity and the diffusion of the light must render the street safe, welcoming and comfortable, in order to encourage people to walk along the pavements, sit on the benches, and chat under the trees.

Lighting systems must be:

• dynamic, in order to adapt to specific needs according to the time of day and the presence of pedestrians and vehicles;
  
• intelligent, in order to respond to external stimuli, weather conditions and traffic;
  
• connected with other devices, in order to offer services, information or advice to passers-by (tourist information, indications for places of interest, indications for parking, emergency calls, electric charging stations, Wi-Fi connections...).
  

In the era of LED lighting, street lighting should not simply offer energy and financial savings for the local administration, but also guarantee the well-being of the citizens.