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New Sant’Agnese house, Muralto
THE PERFECT LIGHT BASED ON A MINIMALIST DESIGN
SANT’AGNESE, MURALTO I NEW BUILDING
A new building has been added to the convent in Ingenbohl, Ticino, home to a religious community of Sisters. The building overlooks Locarno, Lake Maggiore and the Magadino Plain. The architect Cristiana Guerra has succeeded in creating an environment in which the Sisters of Ingenbohl feel at home – after having spent their lives providing valuable services to their congregation. The lighting solutions designed by Tulux have their role to play in creating a pleasant ambience. The minimalist, understated LEAN luminaires can be installed in various settings thanks to their adaptable design.
Luminaires that radiate the spirit of the Sant’Agnese house
The new Sant’Agnese house is home to the now elderly Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross in Ingenbohl. The Sisters in Ingenbohl have dedicated their lives to helping others in schools and hospitals in Ticino. Designed to be a place of rest for them, the new building is situated on a scenic hillside with a view of the town of Locarno, the Maggia delta and the Magadino Plain. Surrounded by a lemon grove dating back to the 19th century, the new building uses various interior and exterior elements to blend into the surroundings. The house contains 20 bedrooms divided across two levels, each of which has a view of the surrounding landscape.
When designing the building, Ticino-based architect Cristiana Guerra wanted to make sure the lighting captured the spirit of the Sant’Agnese house. Light plays a key role throughout the building, as the Sisters – now of an older age – need the rooms to be as well-lit as possible in order to see everything clearly and feel comfortable. This led Guerra to incorporate large windows and openings into the architecture to provide natural light, and to seek out a lighting solution that would make the rooms appear warm, cosy and inviting rather than bright and glaring.
LEAN luminaires – the optimum solution
The architect worked with Tulux on a lighting solution, ultimately settling on LEAN. Guerra believes LEAN perfectly complements the architectural concept she had in mind. The architect likens the luminaire’s streamlined, essential shape to a candle – making it an ideal choice for lighting the building. Guerra was immediately captivated by the LEAN luminaire’s minimalist, understated design. LEAN has a subtle presence, yet radiates the exact amount of light required for optimal lighting. Its quality is unique, too, with the technology all contained within a single, very compact package. LEAN clearly embodies what SWISS LIGHT CREATIONS stands for: reliability and quality. In other words, there was nothing preventing LEAN from being used in the Sant’Agnese house. To meet the varied requirements, the luminaire was installed according to a number of different specifications: LEAN is installed vertically over the dining tables and in the stairwell, while it serves as a wall-mounted luminaire in the chapel, in the bedrooms and on the stairs. LEAN is suspended horizontally in the lounge, which offers a breathtaking view of the surroundings. The result speaks for itself; the Sisters immediately felt at home in the new building and were able to move in when it opened in September 2020.
Tulux – one partner for every lighting solution
While Cristiana Guerra already knew of Tulux, she wasn’t aware of the latest modern lighting solutions it provided. After browsing the Tulux website, she contacted Lighting Technology Consultant Mauro Montagner, who is responsible for the Ticino market. This was the first step towards a highly constructive partnership.
In addition to LEAN, this project was also a good opportunity to take advantage of EQUIP recessed luminaires. EQUIP is part of the new generation of downlights that contain intelligent lighting technology and can be subtly integrated into rooms. Tulux continually works to improve its products and itself as a business. Its range includes standard luminaires produced in Switzerland along with custom luminaires designed according to customer specifications. The company focuses on luminaires and lighting systems for hospitals and clinics, schools, retirement and care homes, offices and commercial spaces, public institutions and infrastructure, and administrative bodies. It has forged an excellent reputation, with Tulux SWISS LIGHT CREATIONS being synonymous with exceptional lighting solution design and quality.
