New lighting system of the church of Santa Maria a Ripa

Empoli (FI)

Project: 1997-2000

Realization: 2000-2004

As in question mainly refers to some interesting variations of the type of lighting fixtures and their characteristics, is their positioning in the church and is a result of various tests of illuminance which had become necessary and there carried through collaboration and availability of the various operators and organizations in various capacities responsible and / or interested about.

In fact, despite the care taken in the design phase in the choice and arrangement of the various elements of illumination it was verified that there is always a “gap”, between more or less broad than assumed and as objectively verifiable in reality, that is, when the new elements are located to directly confront the formal – architectural valences of the place in which they are also for the type of illumination that are able to supply in that particular place.

Because in the end, if I may say, the problem is always the same and that is able to illuminate spaces designed and manufactured in times prior to the advent of electric lighting effects without creating unpleasant and respecting the spirituality and intelligence that are soaked all places of worship.

We can not expect that just over a hundred years of electric lighting can easily compete with centuries of history of art and architecture.

The changes defined and indicated in the drawings do not contradict absolutely than originally planned but represent a refinement as a result of objective verification, increasing need for a “theme” particularly challenging where intelligence, creativity and experience are confronted every time with no preexisting particularly significant fall into any kind of excess.

Perhaps the ideal lighting for a place of worship would be the one that leaves the space and autonomy “… ..seek to hide than the object also the light that it generates to make sure that this turn surfaces discreetly ……”

However assertions of a clarity and simplicity so strong are not easy to put into practice and, accordingly, to be verified because of the uniqueness of each particular case.

Main and significant element of differentiation than thought is the introduction throughout the church of a direct illumination obtained through some light fixtures suspended from the center of the area defined by the only nave of the church and the center of the area of ​​the above ‘ altar and the choir area.

Using these elements, particularly significant for the quality of the produced illumination, it allowed to re-use some suspension points hooks and in concert with the existing light fixtures to walls, installed only indirect light to diminish the visual impact, realizing a lighting of the place of worship that is not overly “intrusive” toward space, architecture and, in general, quite camouflaged.

No substantial change to the illumination of the side chapels which are confirmed fixtures consist of spotlights placed on tracks.

In the study and in the hallway between the churches and the Sacristy are placed wall lamps with etched glass counter to the expected appliques plaster.

In addition to the external lighting of the porch in front of the church that remains the same, it is to be installed two projectors on the roof to highlight, with discretion, the facade of the church for which there is already a restoration project.

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