A new white light lighting system that will enhance the jewels of Palladian architecture, Basilica and Loggia del Capitaniato, as well as the Bissara Tower, the Monte di Pietà palace and adjacent squares will be turned on Sept. 18.
An elegant light designed to illuminate the square and buildings, and to enhance their aesthetics and beauty. An understated, sustainable light that ignites history but looks toinnovation and energy conservation. These characters sum up the enlightenment work that Gemmo has been giving to the city in which it has been based for more than 90 years.
“We wanted to bring light to the heart of our City, there where a history hundreds of years long beats and where we breathe the beauty of lines, forms and spaces. We hope that this new splendor will bring Piazza dei Signori back to being the center of city life, a place to aggregate relationships and develop energies, and tell to the many visitors and tourists the sense of an identity, that of Vicenza, so imbued with a love of beauty and fine workmanship.”
Irene Gemmo, president and CEO of Gemmo Spa
Features of the new lighting system
The project has the twofold goal of making the pedestrian thoroughfare more usable and safe and highlighting the monumental and architectural importance of the façades of the historic buildings facing Signori Square. In fact, it adopts a discreet and unobtrusive technology that illuminates by reflection and without dazzling the surrounding areas. This is made possible by the use of LED floodlights, which offers very significant advantages:
- color rendering
- energy saving (consumption is about 30% lower)
- reduction of light pollution (light beams are contained and non-dispersive)
- plant operation and maintenance (LEDs last three times as long as high-pressure sodium lamps).
In detail, the lighting design of the squares system envisions that the floodlights that will illuminate the basilica will be placed on the surrounding roofs with the majority of the aiming from top to bottom so as to minimize light pollution, with the amount of light moreover reduced in the advanced night hours. The green color of the Basilica’s copper dome, then, also visible from the hills surrounding the city, will be enhanced by cooler light.
“It is an example of great business excellence next to great architectural excellence, which will soon be returned to the city in a contemporary guise. So I thank Gemmo for the intelligent act of patronage that will make it possible to create a setting like in few other squares in Europe. The intervention will help Vicenza to become more and more a cultural center of European level in the sign of innovation and creativity.”
Achille Variati, mayor of Vicenza
On Sunday, September 18, at 9 p.m., the lighting of Signori Square and adjacent squares will be accompanied by Maestro Morricone’s famous arias. The performance will feature the Roma Sinfonietta Orchestra, soprano Susanna Rigacci and the Nuovo Coro Lirico Sinfonico Romano of the University of Rome Tor Vergata in a concert open to the public.