Bazzling Nights in Kaohsiung

　The Lianchihtan (Lotus Pond) Temple, the Tangrong Brick Kiln, and the historical site of Old Zuoying City Wall appear in their entire splendor. As darkness falls, the Urban Spotlight and Love River in Kaohsiung, glitter, aglow with the lights. The Maintenance Office of the Public Works Bureau has transformed the North and East Gates of Old Zuoying City Wall, the Dragon & Tiger Towers in Lotus Pond, and the Former Tangrong Brick Kiln, so that they can shine brightly at night. These works remold the cityscapes, and revitalize the historical sites.

　The reconstruction starts with the national historical building, Former Tangrong Brick Kiln, and its two large chimneys. To bring out the distinctiveness of the architecture in remote suburbs, the lights that are reflected off the brick kiln and chimneys, need to be brilliant but not blinding. The Maintenance Office has surrounded surrounds the kiln with a number of slightly brighter but soft lights to illuminate the chimneys from different angles, thus creating different layers of shading.

　The East Gate is the least damaged among all the historical gates in Zuoying. Isolated by a moat passing its facade, the Gate's stately grandeur seems to defy the hustle and bustle around it. Lit up by soft lighting with no glare, similar to that of the East Gate, the North Gate poses no threat to the safety of cars driving by. The hidden lights directed to the gate walls represent the Maintenance Office's consideration in avoiding a conflict between urban development and historical sites preservation.

　The Lotus Pond Temple is the last one that shines in this project. The delicate structure manifests itself through details of carving on the eaves board and rooftop. Concealed lights illuminate the curved Dragon & Tiger Towers Bridge and the straight Spring & Autumn Pagodas Bridge, taking both appearance and safety into consideration. Lighting on the rooftop is designed from a metropolitan point of view. It emits light from angles that accentuate the uniqueness of each tower, pavilion, and statue.

　In addition, the Sewage System Office has just completed the project of restoring the moat surrounding the Old Zuoying City Wall this past January. Water is channeled from the Lotus Pond to purify the moat. Located on North Chengfong Road, the moat's distinctive water and ecological systems chart a new course in reshaping the image of Kaohsiung.

魅力夜高雄-蓮潭廟宇、中都唐榮磚窯廠及左營舊城古蹟放光芒

◎文／廖國雄　◎攝影／鮑忠暉

　　除了城市光廊、愛河畔的水光璀燦外，屬於高雄市歷史古蹟的文化再造，經過市府工務局養工處規劃下，把夜港都的左營舊城東北門、蓮池潭龍虎塔、乃至中都磚窯高矗的煙囪，陸續於夜間放亮，不僅展現高雄市都市景觀新風貌，更賦予這些古蹟文物有一新的生命力。

　　這一系列照明改善工程首先包括了愛河中游的高雄市國定古蹟「台灣煉瓦會社打狗工場」（即中都唐榮磚廠）及兩座大煙囪，因磚窯廠及煙囪地處偏遠，需有較強而不刺眼的燈光來展現此建築的特色，高雄市政府工務局養護工程處以數十盞明亮卻無眩光照明燈具，圍繞四周，將磚窯廠活化起來。再以不同仰角及位置的燈具，發出鮮明且柔美而層次分明的燈光，投射在兩座煙囪圓形四周。

　　再來就是左營東門，左營東門是所有城門中保留最完整的，由城外往城門觀看，氣勢雄壯威武，有如龍盤虎踞，配上門前城河的隔護，再加上幽淡柔合的照明色彩，襯托出該處一夫當關、萬夫莫敵守城地勢。然後是北門，養工處以類似打亮東門的無眩光照明燈具，穿著於北門外牆，駕車行經於此，消除了燈光刺眼安全之虞，而城門內的隱藏式幽明燈光打亮整面城牆，更降低了現代化設備介入古蹟建物的突兀感。

　　最後就是打亮蓮池潭的廟宇建築，此工程之設計架構，主要是以投射的方式強調建築工法之細膩，如屋簷、屋頂之雕刻；再以打亮的手法，隱藏式的燈光設計，沿著龍虎塔橋的曲橋及春秋閣的直橋兩側均勻照亮，兼顧了美觀與安全考量。更以整個大都會意象為尺度考量屋頂照明，採用較顯目的亮度去凸顯各個塔、亭、神像的地標風格。

　　此外，下水道工程處於今年1月份完工的「左營舊城護城河改造工程」，自蓮池潭引水活化護城河，位處城峰路北側的左營舊城護城河，以獨特的水與綠生態旅遊系統，進一步營造高雄市城鄉風貌改造的願景。