Lighting the Sanctuary of San Luca, when light becomes storytelling
We had the opportunity to meet lighting designer Giordana Arcesilai to talk about the lighting of the Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of San Luca in Bologna. What emerged was a conversation about how light can transform the perception of a place without altering its identity.
FROM SYMBOL TO LIVED SPACE
For those who live in Bologna, the silhouette of the Sanctuary rises above the city at 300 meters, a visual and emotional landmark and a destination for pilgrims. “At first it was just a signal, then I understood what it truly holds,” Giordana says.
Inside, an extraordinarily rich heritage reveals itself, with seventeenth century paintings, altarpieces, stuccoes, marbles and gilded details that require attention and restraint. The first transformation, even before a lighting one, was learning how to read what the place contains. “It was a wonderful journey of discovery,” she adds, and it quickly becomes clear that the main transformation was perceptual, not only luminous.
TWO SOULS AND A SINGLE DIRECTION
The Sanctuary has two distinct spaces, the large central dome, embracing and luminous, which invites movement, and the more intimate and solemn presbytery, which houses the icon and represents the liturgical heart.
“It was like working on two different monuments,” Giordana says.
“For the columns with gilded capitals we chose a warm light, almost like the gold that characterizes them, to bring out their solemnity without forcing the eye.”
The project respected this duality by creating a lighting direction capable of accompanying the liturgical life without forcing it. The light was not meant to amaze, but to support the rite and restore balance to the whole.
Over time the lighting had become layered, light upon light. Here the work was the opposite, subtraction and careful listening, also to the natural light. By enhancing the vertical surfaces, chapels, altarpieces and sculptural groups, details that were previously barely perceptible began to emerge. As Cardinal Matteo Zuppi remarked during the inauguration, “At last it is no longer a sports field. It is a home.”
TECHNIQUE AND VISION
Speaking with Giordana, the technical side never feels cold. Complex heights, delicate historic surfaces and the need to integrate the fixtures without invading the architecture meant that every choice had to be carefully considered.
The collaboration with Exenia made it possible to translate these needs into solutions that are discreet yet effective, with small fixtures, precise beams and adjustable colour temperatures. “The Baroque gilding needed a solemn light,” she explains, and every detail, from the 180 fixtures individually aimed to the custom mounting solutions, was designed to reveal the beauty of the place without turning it into a spectacle.
When asked whether lighting means illuminating or telling a story, Giordana answers without hesitation, “Telling a story.” To tell a story means creating hierarchies, guiding the gaze and accompanying the liturgy without invading the space. Today, when entering the Sanctuary, one does not perceive a scenographic effect but a coherent and welcoming atmosphere, where light restores meaning and depth.
Who is Giordana Arcesilai
Giordana Arcesilai is a Bologna-based architect and lighting designer who has been working as an independent professional since 2000. Her work focuses on the architectural enhancement of monuments and urban spaces, with projects in Italy and abroad, including the lighting of historic churches, public spaces and civic buildings.
With experience in product design and a specialized background, she adopts an approach that combines technical rigor with a narrative use of light, transforming spaces without altering their identity. Her style is recognized for its ability to tell stories through light, creating coherent and engaging perceptual experiences.
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