Invisible Light, beautiful Light
March 11th, 2024
In Rome, in a location of strong symbolic value, the splendid Piazza Augusto Imperatore, epitomizing in its perfect, harmonious architectural composition historical layers of great cultural significance, a new jewel of the luxury Bulgari Hotels & Resorts Collection just opened, adding a high note to this quintessential compendium of Italian character and Roman identity.
Metis Lighting is proudly part of this ambitious redevelopment and conservative restoration, a blend of past and present inspired by the imperial splendor of the setting, orchestrated by ACPV Architects.
The intervention consists in lighting an emblematic building, an example of rationalist architecture, designed by Vittorio Ballio Morpurgo and built between 1936 and 1938. With an overall surface area of 14,000 sqm, it has been object of a full architectural renovation: interiors, façade and a portion of the city’s square next to entrance, a place of immense historical value yet abandoned and forgotten.
The challenge was clear: seamless integration with the architectural project in order to balance the aesthetic rigor of stone materials with rich textures and finishes while highlighting art masterpieces.
We conceptualized, and then designed, each layer of light to be in perfect and seamless integration with the architectural intervention. Light attentively accompanies and exalts this effort impeccably asserted in every design detail, celebrating with contemporary elegance the extraordinary sense of place and the brand’s unbreakable bond with the city.
Invisible light confers depth, warm visual hierarchy to every space, empowering the striking aesthetic and ensuring a unique hotel guests experience, addressing as our consuetude innovative possibilities in terms of control, sustainability, and specification.
A poised gentle general atmosphere and carefully allocated light accents characterize 114 glamorous, spacious Rooms and Suites, with spectacular view on wonders of the Eternal City, decorated in sumptuous materials and rich textures, celebrating the most refined qualities of Italian elegance.
Circular hidden lighting fixtures with diffuse luminous effect exquisitely, empower the reiterated geometric leitmotif of the design concept, alluding to the shape of the tomb, woven everywhere, from bedside sconces to sculpted plaster ceiling recesses.
Multiple levels of indirect luminous sources strengthen the intimacy of the ambiences, defining a concept of relaxed luxury. Pre-set lighting scenarios, fully customizable, manage various intensities and impacts for an extensively personalized use of the space, ensuring maximum visual comfort and encouraging energy savings. All the downlights, deeply shielded, almost disappear in the backdrop, focusing on special items and points of interaction.
Novel crafted solutions studied in BIM offer sophisticated integrated lighting design: light is never loud, rather adds depth, warmth and visual hierarchy to every space.
Leo Torri
