A new light shines at
the Salone dei Cinquecento
A meeting in Florence with the protagonists
of the lighting, scientific and multidisciplinary project
behind the “rebirth” of a Renaissance masterpiece
P
alazzo Vecchio (Old Palace) is one of the
universally recognized symbols of the city
of Florence. However, for the inhabitants
of Florence, the building heralds even deeper
stories and meanings that foreigners are not
always able to understand fully. In the Palazzo
Vecchio there are spaces and works of art of
inestimable value and the “Palace of the people
and the government”, as it was defined by the
Florentine architect Alfredo Lenzi – is still the
same: it is open to the public (also thanks to the
project “Palazzo Vecchio – Open doors” promoted
in the past few years) and it is the Town Hall.
Inside, is the Salone dei Cinquecento, the hall
that was created by Cronaca for Girolamo
Savonarola to hold the meetings of the 500
citizens “without any defects” who took part
in the Government of the Republic, which was
subsequently transformed as it is today, by
Giorgio Vasari for Cosimo I de’ Medici. The
rectangular hall still has the rich decorative array
that the Duke had commissioned. The southern
side has a number of niches with original Roman
statues, on the opposite side a raised stage called
the Udienza, where originally the throne
of Cosimo I was positioned, is enhanced by
the statues of popes from the Medici family
and paintings on slate. The longer sides are
decorated with frescoes depicting the most
important battles that marked the dominion
of Florence over the territory, and along the
walls are 6 statues of the Labours of Hercules
and Michelangelo’s The Genius of Victory.
On the ceiling, 39 panels painted by Vasari
and the artists of his atelier, describe important
episodes in the life of Cosimo I, and are fixed
to the wood truss ceiling in large gold-plated
frames. Nowadays the Salone dei Cinquecento
is used on numerous occasions: staff at Palazzo
Vecchio declare that there isn’t a day when at
least one event has been organized there: gala
dinners, conferences, concerts, cultural visits…
the great variety of intended uses, together with
the intrinsic importance of the space, required
the realization of a new lighting system that
could do justice to this historical and cultural
heritage, keeping in mind its multifunctional
nature. Many years of preliminary studies,
measurements and simulations on site, and
of meetings and negotiations, have led to the
“new lighting” in the Salone today. The lighting
design has involved a number of different
players: The Department of Industrial Engineering
of the University of Florence (represented
by Professor Carla Balocco, in the role of Scientific
Supervisor), the company SILFIspa (represented
by the architect Claudio Vallario) and the
company Targetti Sankey SpA (represented by the
architect Stefania Galanti). These professionals,
with very different competences, were able to
collaborate and discuss the project harmoniously.
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LUCE 321 / SPECIALE SALONE DEI CINQUECENTO
As Professor Balocco explained well, “Innovation
lies in the true informative content of the project,
in the innovation of the impressive applied
technologies, in the break from the traditional
and the design anticipations, and produced
specifically using the integrated methodological
approach we developed, characterized by
modular and reversible solutions, and mainly
by a “surplus of sense” , in a semiosic
information process outlined by light, in other
words an opening towards common belief,
a communicative culture, that only light, if well
designed, can provide, because it suggests
something more, and at times it is almost the
opposite of what initially it seemed to say/
communicate”.
Giorgio Caselli
in charge of Servizio Belle Arti e Fabbrica di
Palazzo Vecchio (Palazzo Vecchio fine arts service
and preservation and restoration office)
What is the importance of a space like the Salone
dei Cinquecento for the city of Florence? What are
the reasons that led to the new lighting design
for the Salone dei Cinquecento?
The Salone dei Cinquecento is of fundamental
importance inside Palazzo Vecchio and this
is substantially relevant for the city of Florence.
The project of a new lighting design began in
2011, when the former Italian Prime Minister and
Mayor of Florence Renzi administration decided
to open the palace to the public, bringing back
its historical utilization as part of a wider cultural
programme, which is still being completed.
Up to that moment the visitors’ itinerary was as
organized in early 1900 by Alfredo Lenzi who
chose to open a small museum-nucleus in the
so-called noble rooms. The new programme
for visitors tries to give the public, through
a historiographic approach, and the different
environments, the history of the building and
of the town. The monument is alive, in fact the
functions of power and representation for which
it was built are still carried out. Today visitors’
itinerary starts in the area underground, where
ruins of the Roman Theatre can be seen,
and they climb up, right up to Arnolfo’s tower.
The heart of the itinerary is certainly the Salone
dei Cinquecento, and therefore the new lighting
system contributes to a better view of the
frescoes and the decorative array. The work
evolved from a practical need, that materialized
because of a precise opportunity at a given time.
The project was sponsored by Confindustria,
(the General Confederation of Italian Industry).
I would like to convey the great enthusiasm that
accompanied the task. A great commitment
was shown by everyone, not only Prof. Balocco,
SILFIspa and Targetti Sankey SpA, but also
the individual workers, the electricians and
the specialized staff who shared their know-how
and manpower never flinching from the huge
quantity of work, the short amount of time given
or the work-shifts. I could tell you a number of
anecdotes, describe the nights spent on site…
I believe that Palazzo Vecchio deserves this type
of people! Looking back, thinking of the years of
studies and the phase of the actual installation
which was over in a flash, there is a feeling that
the level that was reached is truly very high.
This has been a journey that I wanted never to
end! The greatest victory? The fact that no one,
and in particular no Florentine, has commented
the results. No criticisms, no attacks, this
undoubtedly means that we did our work well.
Carla Balocco
Professor of Technical Physics at the Università
degli Studi di Firenze (University of Florence)
Industrial Engineering Department;
Chairman of AIDI -Tuscany
What are the scientific principles of the project?
The project has required many years of work,
during which it was modified, adapted and
developed, following in-depth historical studies,
experimental measurement campaigns,
experiences and practical applicative research
on site. The value, authenticity and innovation
of the project are in its fundamental principles.
It evolved from the involvement of many and
diverse people who supported our ideas and
offered us their know-how and collaboration.
The negotiations of many different subjects
and an equal number of different competences,
along with the integrated methodological
approach which the lighting design is based on,
and therefore multidisciplinarity, is the distinctive
characteristic, the “quid” and the key for the
success with which the project was carried out,
developed and completed.
Lighting a space like the Salone dei Cinquecento
does not only mean assessing the correct quantity
and quality of light, evaluating the optimum
combination of natural and artificial light,
guaranteeing high quality viewing and
perception, and at the same time the preventive
protection and conservation of the historical
and architectural heritage of Palazzo Vecchio
and the works of art contained therein. This also
meant involving the site, the architecture and the
history. Too often the lighting design is elaborated
in pragmatically technical terms, with the
definition of suitable technological solutions from
the point of view of energy and the quantitative
results, without evaluating the qualitative and
perceptive aspects that these solutions involve.
And even less frequent are those cases in which
the lighting design evolves from extensive
environmental monitoring analyses of the
pre-existent luminous climate (lighting design,
colorimetric, optical-visual and perceptive)
and an accurate study of the conditions
of conservation and optimum fruition of the
museum environments and the works of art that
are exhibited. Therefore, I prepared the project
concept, based on my research and my interests
in the sector, and I privileged the problem
of the dynamic object, in other words the lighting
design for a New Light for the rebirth of the
Salone, the idea that light is however interpreted
and therefore brought back to visual
and perceptive stimuli, that trigger the mental