I often find myself reflecting on the title of “lighting designer” that has been attributed to me over the years. In reality, I do not consider myself solely a lighting designer: I am an architect in the broadest sense of the term, yet fascinated by that formless mystery that weaves through the folds of space and time, transforming everything it touches, which we call light.

For me, light is a tool through which I explore and define space, rather than an end in itself. With practice and experience, I have sought to go beyond the conventions of lighting design, using light not merely as a technical element: every one of my projects is born from a reflection deeply rooted in a continuous dialogue with the invisible.

In the Spazio Riflesso project – literally,“Mirrored space” – light becomes the means through which these moments of suspension are captured: it is a journey that takes me beyond building towards the completion of my expressive quest. Born almost by chance, as often happens with the most fertile ideas, the project represents a conceptual challenge that led me to explore the subtle boundary where architecture and design seek their encounter with art, a path that delves into the depths of perception, in an attempt to reveal the tension between matter and illusion, between the visible and the imperceptible.

The luminous sculptures I created and presented at Lualdi’s showroom during Milan Design Week 2023, as part of the Glass Code event, are the manifestation of this intent. Glass and mirrors, the materials central to this dual installation, become true instruments of reflection and diffusion of constructed space: they create a virtual extension, pushing the boundaries of perception beyond the perimeter within which the work materializes, in an attempt to seduce the observer and captivate their attention.

Is this not one of the goals of design and art alike? To evoke emotion, allow for new interpretations, raise questions?

If, through its various forms, light can alter our perceptions, what are the limits of this transformation?

For millennia, humanity has observed with reverence the luminous phenomena of nature, from the aurora borealis to twilight, to the subtle glow of the moon. The relationship between natural and artificial light is, ultimately, one of the greatest challenges human ingenuity has sought to address. While nature astonishes us with its spontaneity and uncontrollable beauty, mankind has developed sophisticated techniques to imitate and reinterpret these natural phenomena, creating spaces where light not only illuminates but tells a story.

Yet, the challenge is complex. Nature possesses an elusive beauty, difficult to replicate. I inevitably think of the myth of Icarus: there is beauty in the flight, but also wisdom in knowing when to stop.

And yet, I wonder: if there is a limit beyond which we cannot go, are we bound to respect it, or is the true creative act in trying, despite everything, to surpass it?