The AEM Azienda Energetica Municipale (now A2A), formally opened on 1 January 2008.) is located in the centre of the city of Milan and, as a producer, as well as a distributor, of electrical energy, it required an image that emanated light, bright, unlit at night. The building, designed by architect Cassi-Ramelli in the 1950s, has a smooth façade in the lower part with the large glazed opening of the triple-height entrance and the upper part strongly characterised by a narrow order of architraved windows. Architectural lighting, especially outdoors, emphasises the architectural details of the elevations, sculpting their volumes, capturing interest and conveying emotions. The exterior lighting design of a façade requires careful analysis, taking into account, in some cases, the constraints of cultural heritage, the overall available electrical energy, a fundamental aspect is light pollution and intrusive light, while always maintaining an aesthetic sensitivity that adds value to the urban context. Master Piero Castiglioni’s project lighting design experiments with a new concept about architectural lighting works. Working on the mesh of the intrados, light is brought to the edge of the façade. A two-lamp luminaire is designed, produced in a small series, in special execution, with a special optic that controls the emission of light at 120°, in a fan shape. The custom architectural lighting fixtures will later be ‘industrialised’, patented lighting and design and put into production by iGuzzini ‘Edge‘ in the first version with halogen lamps and later, the ‘Radius‘ which also uses metal halide lamps.
Project:
Lighting Design Piero Castiglioni
Photo Courtesy:
Piero Castiglioni
Francesco Radino
Year:
1990
Other Projects
Orsay Museum where architecture became a big lighting device, the reflections of light bulbs with walls and ceilings create a uniform light without shadows. Groups of projectors in Grassi Palace recall a small football field. Here was born a new type of lighting device. Reflector lamps and articulated support gives life at the "Cestello". Spasa na Krovi is a perfection of Mantova project. Light beams aggregation allow the device size reduction and the dispersion light control.
