ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that alongside the need for quantifiable measurements assessing the impacts of light pollution, new stories about urban darkness are needed. Towards this goal, it proposes the notion of darkening cities to provide normative grounding for the future of urban nights. It draws from recent literature on the philosophy of maintenance and repair, as well as (urban) rewilding, to develop a robust conceptualisation of darkening cities. This reveals an important possibility created by bringing darkness and dark skies back into cities: more than simply reducing energy consumption or even restoring nocturnal ecosystems, it offers an opportunity to repair our relation to darkness. Through this analysis and reflection, first steps are taken in articulating a foundational and underlying ideal of “dark design” as a novel approach to urban lighting policy and design.
