In the absence of natural light, lighting design becomes the tool through which visitors perceive a space, understand its history, and recognise its most significant features. Light is called upon to reveal the existing heritage without altering its identity, guiding visitors through places that are often hidden and difficult to access.
Ipogeo dei Cristallini, Naples
In the heart of the Rione Sanità, a neighbourhood that has undergone a major process of cultural regeneration in recent years, the Ipogeo dei Cristallini is one of the most significant surviving examples of Hellenistic Naples. The complex consists of four burial chambers dating back to the fourth century BC, originally built as above-ground tombs and now preserved beneath the city.
The reopening of the Ipogeo dei Cristallini to the public in June 2022, following an extensive programme of research and restoration, was initiated by the Martuscelli family, heirs to the site’s historic ownership, with the aim of returning to the city one of the most important examples of Hellenistic funerary architecture preserved in Italy. The project forms part of the broader cultural regeneration of the Rione Sanità, which is now home to numerous initiatives dedicated to enhancing the neighbourhood’s historical and artistic heritage.
The main design challenge was to restore the original perception of these spaces without introducing elements that would feel alien to their character. The lighting concept therefore draws inspiration from the torch, one of the oldest forms of illumination used by humankind. Inside the burial chambers and corridor, the light takes on particularly warm tones, evoking the presence of fire and guiding visitors through an experience consistent with the nature of the site. The access staircase, by contrast, is defined by a cooler light that recalls the natural light coming from outside and symbolically marks the transition between the contemporary city and the underground world of the hypogeum.
From the earliest stages of the project, it became clear that bespoke solutions would be required. The unusual environmental conditions, characterised by high humidity levels, together with the desire to minimise the visual impact of the luminaires, led to the development of elements designed specifically for this intervention.
These include a floor lamp inspired by the shape of a torch. Through two stems, it combines a decorative light source with a mirrored reflector designed to evoke the glow of fire, as well as small projectors used to provide focused illumination for the architectural and decorative details of the tombs. The system is completed by linear elements that enhance the surfaces with grazing light.
Church of Santa Maria di Loreto, Rome
The project for the Church of Santa Maria di Loreto was developed in collaboration with the Pio Sodalizio dei Fornai, an ancient Roman guild that continues to provide assistance and support to members of the baking profession. The church is the symbolic heart of the community and the principal heritage asset safeguarded by the organisation, which promoted a broader programme to enhance the complex.
The lighting project encompasses both the main body of the church, where light helps provide a clearer reading of the architecture and decorative scheme, and the underground areas of the complex. It is within the hypogeum, and particularly in the putridarium, that the project addresses its most distinctive challenges.
The putridarium is a funerary chamber that is currently closed to visitors and was once used during the burial process of members of the confraternity. It is an intimate and evocative space, characterised by a strong symbolic dimension and an inherently dark atmosphere. In this context, the lighting is not intended to dispel the mystery of the place, but to make it legible while preserving its character.
Here too, the design concept takes fire as its starting point. The warm light of lanterns and torches, used for centuries to move through catacombs and burial sites, becomes the reference for the lighting scheme. Small luminous elements guide the route and highlight the most significant decorations and niches, while the light coming from the access staircase defines the relationship between the underground space and the outside world.
As at the Ipogeo dei Cristallini, light becomes a tool for interpreting heritage: not a theatrical element for its own sake, but a means of making normally hidden places accessible, supporting their understanding and cultural appreciation.
These projects demonstrate how light can play a significant role in the enhancement of cultural heritage, not only within major museums or monumental institutions, but also through the commitment of private organisations, associations, and families that choose to invest in the protection of their heritage and in making it available to the wider community.
At the same time, they illustrate a design approach that always begins by listening to the place and understanding its specific qualities. Every space presents different requirements and calls for a dedicated response, from the definition of the concept through to the development of bespoke solutions and products.