The Broken Windows Theory as Applied to Lighting:
Francesca Bastianini, Sighte Studio
Wednesday
April 15, 2026
11:30 am - 12:30 pm ET
April 15, 2026
11:30 am - 12:30 pm ET
Credits LU | HSW TBD
Introductory
The criminological Broken Windows Theory suggests that visible signs of neglect, if left unaddressed, invite further disorder. Applied to lighting, this is not just about replacing burnt-out bulbs—it is about how the relentless pursuit of efficiency and cost savings can erode community pride and trust in public spaces. High-output, low-cost fixtures may illuminate broadly, but often create glare, discomfort, and the perception of surveillance rather than care. Through case studies and a review of current NYC standards, this presentation explores strategies for working with municipalities and agencies to prioritize quality, stewardship, and human experience over lumens and dollars.
Learning Objectives
- Participants will learn methods for teaching non-lighting informed community member how to evaluate existing lighting installations for glare, uniformity, and vertical light levels
- Participants will be introduced to ethnographic interview tools to use with community members
- Participants will be introduced to examples of lighting installations (case studies) of community led lighting installations
- Participants will learn vocabulary to use with funding agencies when pursuing community lighting projects.
Speaker
Francesca Bastianini
Founding Principal
Sighte Studio
As a co-founder and principal of the Brooklyn based architectural lighting design practice, Sighte Studio, Francesca is committed to a practice that folds education, research, and community engagement into design. Drawing on her background in theatre and psychology, Francesca’s design work is attentive to people’s interaction with space, considering both an individual’s well-being and their aesthetic experience.
Her wide-ranging practice covers projects of all scales, from boutique retail spaces to private residential estate, to large scale academic and institutional buildings. Originally from Caracas, Venezuela, Francesca moved to the United States to attend Smith College, where she received her BA in Theatre and Psychology, followed by a Masters in Psychology from Lesley University in Boston.
In 2010 Francesca graduated from Parsons the New School for Design with an MFA in Lighting Design. Her thesis work focused on lighting solutions for underserved populations and earned her the Richard Kelly Grant. Francesca was named one of Lighting Magazines 40 under 40 in 2016 and once again as a member of the North American class in 2018. She is the USA Ambassador for WIL.
Outside of the studio Francesca is a co-founder of Equity in Lighting, the Past-President of the Designers Lighting Forum of New York (DLFNY), was formerly a Van Alen Institute Neighborhood Design Fellow, and an active member in the New York Lighting industry. She is an adjunct faculty member teaching Lighting Design in the School of Constructed Environments at Parsons the New School for Design.