Nightenlorth: Reimagining Nocturnal Safety Through Feminist Urban Design

[ Type ] Interaction Design

[ Timeline ] 4 week (Autumn 2023)

"safety ≠ sense of safety."

Nightenlorth—is a smart urban intervention designed to enhance feelings of safety, social presence, and delight along the nocturnal pathways to Nydalasjön, a popular destination for viewing the Northern Lights in Umeå. Responding to concerns—especially among women—about walking alone through dark, forested areas, the project was developed as part of the Gendered Landscape initiative. It merges feminist design principles with ambient technology to create an inclusive, atmospheric walking experience at night.

Areas for Improvement

Traditional urban safety solutions—like surveillance cameras or emergency call boxes—often fail to address the subjective and gendered experiences of fear and exclusion in public spaces. Forested walking routes, while beautiful and valued, become inaccessible for many due to their isolating, dimly lit environments.

A Pathway Near Nydalasjön

Goals

• Rethink what safety can feel like—especially at night—without reinforcing surveillance or control.

• Make natural and cultural landmarks (like Nydalasjön) more accessible and inclusive.

• Amplify feminist and relational approaches in smart city design.

• Create an urban experience that is safe, sensory, and socially connected.

Design Process

Contextual Research

• Site visits and photographic documentation of unsafe areas

• Literature review on urban safety and gendered experience

• Observation of spatial and lighting conditions at night

Initial Sketches

Participatory Workshops

• Co-design sessions with women in Umeå to capture emotional experiences

• Iterative feedback on early concepts and spatial interventions

Concept Development

• Brainstorming and prototyping smart urban objects that communicate presence

• Focused on non-intrusive and device-free solutions

Participatory Workshop

One of the Conceptual Sketches

Design Proposal

Smart Illuminated Pathways

• Motion-activated colored light poles mark the way from three city hubs to the lake

• Paths light up dynamically to signal movement, increasing the sense of shared space

• Unique colors for each route help with wayfinding for newcomers

• Sensors illuminate six poles at a time—three ahead, three behind—creating a "presence trail"

Informational Layers

• QR codes on light poles give access to maps, project info, and alternate routes

• Provides optional digital engagement without requiring it

Social Interaction Screens

• Large, ambient displays at pathway endpoints (e.g., Vasaplan, Ålidhem, Ersboda, Nydalasjön)

• Allows anonymous interaction, fostering a sense of community across space

• Encourages people to connect, reflect, or coordinate trips

Mia's Journey

Impact

Nightenlorth redefined perceptions of nocturnal safety through gender-inclusive, sensory-aware design. It sparked conversations about equity, environmental sensitivity, and the role of non-intrusive technologies in shaping caring public spaces. The project demonstrated how design can shift power relations in space—from fear to joy, from isolation to connection.