Italian Architectural Lighting

Scott Weston of prolific architecture and design firm Scott Weston Architecture Design has worked with Gineico Lighting for 10 years.  Scott approached Gineico Lighting to work with his award-winning firm to consult and provide the correct lighting for a six-room diorama designed for the 2018 NGV Rigg Design prize.

2018 Rigg Design Prize

10 interior designers and architects were invited to design and create a purpose-built space responding to the theme ‘Domestic Living’. Scott designed a conceptual abstract miniature three-dimensional model of his own Sydney home, Villa Carmelina which is currently under construction. The design of the new build was inspired by the grand 1889 Villa Carmelina, a Victorian Italian terrace.

Scott cites his design philosophy, “As an architect who likes to borrow from the past and reinvent and reinterpret living spaces with colour, pattern, and decoration”. So sincere is his use of colour that he will never use white.

The six-room vignette was wallpapered with digitally printed monochromatic paper creating a world within a world effect, with flat walls covered in floral arrangements, windows, artwork, door-ways, lighting, curtains, and furnishings. Central to the six rooms sits a wunderkammer housing the miniature prized ‘jewel’ that was lit from above while the acrylic case it was housed needed to seemingly float and was backlit as per the design.

Solution

Firstly the intentional darkness of the gallery space meant special highlights to the artifacts had to occur in a way that these jewels were spotlighted. The subtle play of light and dark was used to guide the visitor’s journey from one room to the next as well as from one piece to the next. These rooms were set up in darkness so there was absolute control of what was light and what was dark to help feature the domestic spaces.

Track Lighting

Track lighting was used for general lighting in each room. Lucifero’s Semplice B90 track light system was concealed in a pelmet at the opening of each room showcasing each wunderkammer.

Learn more about our track lighting options

Two types of spotlights featured in each room, one 24,3W wide beam and the other 17W wide beam achieved an ambient light level together with a spotlight option. The spotlights were capable of dimming and were supplied with two sets of lens covers so that the lighting effect was further refined with a choice of satin lens covers or asymmetric lens covers. The track option allowed the flexibility of placing the lights in the correct position for each room. This was an important consideration showcasing Scott’s design concepts to maximum effect.

“We worked very closely with PG and were guided by his knowledge on how best to light the overall room dioramas with track spotlighting concealed behind ceiling pelmets to wash the rooms in evenly cast light,” Scott said.

Wunderkammer

The wunderkammer as the feature of each vignette and exhibition lighting was chosen to take a sculptural piece and transform it into a different way. As an example, the kitchen pays homage to this as the heart of the home.

The sculpture in each wunderkammer was specifically curated for the NGV Rigg Design Prize. Consequently important to the design was the floating sculpture in the cabinet and finally, have enough light to highlight the sculpture. This was achieved by using a combination high output non-dotting 19W LED 3000K strip and small, yet powerful LED downlights that were designed to sit in the joinery. The high output LED downlight Sun Incasso is located above each sculpture and provides a wonderful colour that perfectly illuminates the sometimes finely handcrafted sculptures.

Finally, integral to Scott’s overall concept was the use of digital printing to create a domestic space. 19W LED 3000K strip lights created the illusion of daylight in some rooms with a vertical wash of light in the corners or highlighting various two-dimensional furniture pieces in each room.

And lastly, the display lighting of the guest bedroom pays homage to the placement of art within a domestic setting. Reuben Paterson’s hanging glitter artwork entitled ‘thanks indigo’ is centre stage above the two-dimensional fireplace.

Design Process

App-Line

The Luciferos’s App-Line 1 was used to create horizontal wall wash to light the flat wall. This is the exact same light that Scott is using in his home.

“There are 12 App-Line wall lights featured throughout the greater living spaces, bedrooms and stables as uplighting is the most flattering form of lighting”.

Scott enthusiastically talks about Gineico Lighting with a glint in his eye, “I enjoy working with passionate people and PG listens to my requirements. He provides tailored solutions specific to each and every project which is very evident for my Rigg Design prize 2018 exhibition”.

Lighting Design

“The great qualities of a successful lighting design plan is talking to a professional lighting designer like PG to determine what you want to achieve and set-out the parameters. As a result, testing the lighting samples in the space so that it achieves what your design intention is architectural or decorative lighting or a combination of both. When the project is completed the final result is the seemingly effortless result of lighting solutions that come together that discretely and at times invisibly create the atmosphere you had originally envisaged”.

Similarly, two types of lighting used in the Villa Carmelina were architectural and decorative.  The architectural lighting in the house was exclusively specified by Gineico Lighting for its elegance, simplicity, functionality, and harmony to compliment the decorative lighting collected by Scott the last 20 years.

Design and Architecture by Scott Weston

Explore Scott Weston on Instagram for more on the story of Villa Carmalina:

Instagram: mr_scott_weston

Instagram: villacarmelinasydney

As an example, you can see more of Scott Weston’s architecture and design work www.swad.com.au

Most noteworthy the exhibition lights were ordered from Italy and delivered to the NGV in September ready for the 3 day fit out window. Gineico Lighting flew to Melbourne and worked with Scott and the Exhibition Design Team to ensure the lighting was installed and working in perfect order for the Rigg Design prize Preview and Award Night on October 11^th 2018.

Lighting Design Approach

PG points out that ”We worked closely with our client to successfully achieve a professional lighting solution that exceeds the strict criteria required of the NGV, including technical requirements and tight time frames. This is an important step, “Furthermore at all times we use a high level of care and attention to detail and will always select the best product for the architectural lighting project. Gineico Lighting is Scott Westons trusted ‘in-house’ lighting consultant”.

Scott Weston Architecture Design studio Australia est. 1997

On display in the Rigg Design prize 2018 at  The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia from 12 October – 24 February 2019

Gineico Lighting is passionate about its brands and takes great care in ensuring the quality of the designed product and final visual effect is exactly what the client has envisioned.

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Watch Scott Weston interviewed for the NGV Rigg Design Prize