Dark Sensibilities: Atmospheres and Affects in the Nocturnal City

After dark, the city changes palpably. Our visual perception may become less reliable than in the daytime, yet our other senses can be heightened. The urban night has long been associated with acts of transgression, illicit encounter, and as an arena for excess. The nocturnal city, however, also offers a wider array of atmospheres and affective dimensions than those bound up in the nighttime economy. Our experiences of urban places after dark can bring forth new sensitisations and apprehensions. Familiar streets and parts of the city we encounter during the day can be transformed and suddenly may appear to have distinct characteristics at night. The boundaries between the real and imaginary, and indeed the body and landscape, can be less certain. This session will explore the potential for how we might detect, reimagine and reconfigure the multisensory qualities of the city after dark through creative engagements and design approaches. In seeking to build an interdisciplinary field of inquiry into the senses and sensibilities of the urban night, this session aims to bring together work from different theoretical perspectives and practice-based research.