Light Asia illuminates history in Pompeii
(Italy) – Taking place outside of Asia for the first time, educational programme Light Asia invited an international selection of lighting designers and students to the historic site of Parco Archeologico di Pompeii for a workshop geared towards illuminating its ancient structures.
Held from 8-11 September, the four-day event brought together five leading lighting masters and 25 architecture students from the University of Naples Federico II. Working together directly on-site at Villa Ara Massima and Villa Amorini Dorati, participants designed and implemented temporary lighting schemes that respected the historic fabric of the site, while revealing new visual dimensions to the space.
The event highlighted the critical role of thoughtful light planning in cultural heritage sites, balancing aesthetic impact, preservation, and technical execution.
Organised by Light Asia, University of Naples Federico II and Parco Archeologico di Pompeii, the workshop was supported by associations APIL, AIDI and SSBAP, and sponsored by lighting manufacturer KKDC. The lighting design mentors for the event were Alessandro Grassia (Astrapto); Lorenza Golinelli (I-DEA); Camilla Parrella and Junko Inomoto (Arup); and Leah Xandora (L’Observatoire International).
Reflecting on the event, a statement from Light Asia reads: “On behalf of KKDC and Light Asia, thank you to everyone who made this first European edition of Light Asia possible: our lighting designers, partners, and co-organisers, whose vital support made it all shine. To our 25 students from the University of Naples Federico II and SSBAP: your talent, creativity, energy and potential made us truly proud. This is not the end, we’re building a Light Asia community to keep this circle going. Stay tuned!”
Light Asia is a non-profit organisation founded by KKDC Director Jack Choo that offers workshops to inspire and educate students in a fulfilling way for global lighting designers to share their professional experience with the next generation of designers. Throughout these workshops, Light Asia aims to support building a lighting design network between international designers and students, and to strengthen the importance of lighting design throughout Asia.