The Collegiate Church of Saints Peter and Stephen in Bellinzona, an important
religious building dating back to the 15th century, is a structure with a highly religious
and symbolic value, but also an artistic and architectural one, given the presence of
valuable works of art inside. The lighting project takes into account and enhances
all these aspects: on the one hand the lighting systems do not interfere with the
architectonical beauty of the church, but at the same time they highlight its most
important artistic elements with the use of light.
The lighting techniques adopted are:
• direct lighting (over the nave);
• indirect lighting (towards the vault);
• accent lighting (used to enhance architectural details).
Moreover, to give depth and dimension to the side chapels, an indirect light element
was used, towards the vault, and a direct light component towards the frescoes,
paintings and statues inside. The lighting fixtures were then grouped together and
divided into various lighting scenes: service, weekday, festive, ceremonial and guided
tours.
Architecture and light
SERVICE SCENARIO
WEEKDAY SCENARIO
FESTIVE SCENARIO
SOLEMNITY SCENARIO
SMART LIGHTING
SMART LIGHTING
8
9
8
Lighting
Scenarios
WEEKDAY
SERVICE
HOLIDAYS
CELEBRATION
VISITS
direct nave
100%
75%
100%
100%
50%
direct presbytery
100%
75%
100%
100%
50%
direct choir
100%
50%
50%
100%
50%
direct transept
100%
50%
50%
100%
50%
indirect nave
0%
50%
100%
100%
50%
indirect choir
0%
50%
100%
100%
50%
indirect transept
0%
50%
100%
100%
50%
altar accent
0%
75%
100%
100%
50%
altar-piece accent
0%
50%
50%
100%
100%
painting accent
0%
0%
50%
100%
100%
choir altarpiece accent
0%
50%
50%
100%
100%
high altar 1 accent
100%
50%
100%
100%
50%
altar accent major 2
0%
50%
100%
100%
50%
ambo accent
0%
100%
100%
100%
50%
spandrels
0%
0%
50%
100%
50%
cupola
0%
50%
50%
100%
50%
lantern
0%
0%
50%
100%
50%
indirect chapels
0%
50%
50%
100%
50%
chapel shovel accent
100%
50%
50%
100%
100%
Collegiate Church of Saints Peter and Stephen in Bellinzona (CH) - By courtesy of Stefano Dall’Osso
