Architecture in Rome, Roma Tre and Sapienza,
collaborate actively on topics of lighting
engineering. In the capital, since a few years,
a university pole of light is active, in which the
courses integrate and offer new educational
opportunities.
“From this point of view, Rome is proof of a
successful experiment in collaboration between
the two universities,” Marco Frascarolo,
professor of acoustics and lighting engineering
at the faculty of Architecture of Roma Tre
university, explains. “An initiative through
which it has been possible to overcome the
limitations of traditional university courses
in Thermodynamics, where most often
thermo-technicians play a dominant role.
Besides this, what we offer the students is the
most up-to-date information available today.”
The topic regarding what to teach in a phase
characterized by great technological innovation
therefore becomes a central one.
“Our master-courses,” Frascarolo continues,
“provide high-level education. Unlike the
Milan Polytechnic, where product design
prevails, in Rome we concentrate on lighting
design projects for the cultural heritage. In this
way it is possible, as has already occurred,
to collaborate in important initiatives such
as the lighting design project of the Sistine
Chapel, the Basilica in Assisi, the lighting of the
Colosseum, or laying down the guidelines
for lighting in the Capital city of Rome. We
strive to be increasingly present in the Italian
territory and in the new frontiers of lighting
engineering, as IoT and home automation.”
Surely a lot also depends on the manufacturing
context in the Roman area.
“We have different realities,” the Roman
professor concludes, “depending on size and
mentality. There are consolidated companies,
which however are static, while there are
others that are not as big but quite dynamic;
and then there is a host of small companies
that are technically more superficial. However,
it occurs that also from the smaller contexts
interesting new inspirations can arrive,
specially from companies that prevalently
manufacture customized products or those
that capture the change in paradigm that
the sector is experiencing.”
Laura Bellia, professor in the department
of Industrial Engineering at the University
of Naples, says she is an optimist about
the destiny of teaching lighting design in
the universities.
“Despite everything – in other words,
notwithstanding the marginal nature of our
subject inside the university graduate courses
and the excess of improvisation in the sector,
by technicians that have not been sufficiently
trained –, I am optimistic. Because I see that
in the universities a network is being created,
with the view of becoming a system, also
thanks to the work of Aidi (author’s note:
Bellia is the technical and scientific director
of the Association).”
Basically, teaching lighting engineering
in the Italian universities, except for some rare
exceptions, is too often confined inside other
disciplines such as Thermodynamics, where
often air conditioning and energy saving are
the dominant subjects.
“It is true, lighting engineering is considered
marginal,” the architect continues, “and the
specific weight of teaching depends mainly on
the sensitivity and training of each individual
professor. Furthermore, this way, there is a risk
of not being able to capture the elements
of technological innovation that more and
more often accompany our discipline.”
So, what to do if no changes in the university
programmes can be seen on the horizon?
“I think we should work more to spread
our knowledge and our experience,” the
Neapolitan professor continues. “Also because
the lack of a specific technical culture is
a problem not only for those working in the
sector, but is a topic with concrete
repercussions in the works that are created.
And this is true for all those who are part of
the building cycle – technicians in the public
administration, manufacturers, installers,
builders. Lastly, here in Italy, unlike abroad,
the profession of lighting designer lacks
recognition.”
Another topic regards the lack of a uniform
production context on a national scale.
“Certainly”, Bellia concludes, “it is a true
problem that is difficult to solve. If some cities
like Turin and Milan have a developed
entrepreneurial situation as reference, this
is not so everywhere, in the South of Italy
in particular.”
Last issue: the lack of a good and widespread
culture of light and its importance.
“I think we need to find the right forms
of spreading information to the public opinion
about the importance of light,” Bellia
concludes. “Perhaps what has been done
in the past by Enea on the topic of energy
saving should be proposed again.”
Laura Bellia
Università di Napoli
Marco Frascarolo
Università di Roma Tre
EDUCATION / LUCE 327
27