Hypogeum of Santa Maria in Stelle

The Hypogeum of Santa Maria in Stelle, commonly known as the “Pantheon,” is an archaeological site located partially beneath the parish church of the same-named village, at the beginning of Val Pantena in the province of Verona. It originated as an aqueduct in the 1st century AD, commissioned by the Gens Pomponia who needed to bring water to their residence in the nearby locality of Vendri. In the 3rd century AD, Publius Pomponius Cornelianus transformed the Hypogeum into a pagan place of worship dedicated to water nymphs. During the 4th and 5th centuries AD, it was consecrated by Saint Zeno, then Bishop of Verona, as a Christian place of worship dedicated to baptism and catechesis. Throughout the Middle Ages, it continued to be a pilgrimage destination and place of liturgy. After a long period of restoration, it has been accessible to the public again since 2020 through guided tours.

The lighting design project for the Hypogeum of Santa Maria in Stelle stems from a long phase of observing the site and understanding its great historical and artistic value. The lighting narrates, through a succession of scenes, the dual soul of the site – pagan and Christian – along the six environments that characterize and identify it. From the 19th-century entrance, one accesses the ancient entrance, once open-air, from which one enters the 3rd-century AD conduit leading to the atrium and side cells built in the 5th century AD, environments that are frescoed with catechetical scenes.

Given the impossibility of working on the masonry, except in points already used in the past, the proposed lighting system also contains the electrical component within it, through the use of custom profiles that extend from the entrance to the end of the conduit. In the atrium and cells, special floor lamps were created whose shape and size, combined with their position within the environments, do not create obstacles to the visual perception of the place. The management of the system is done through the Casambi control system, which allows the activation of light scenes via tablet, customizing the visit in terms of time and interpretation of the place based on the needs of each individual guide.

Winner of the AV Award 2021, Exhibition and Interior Design category:
“For the sensitivity shown in enhancing the uniqueness of the hypogeal spaces and their history using light as a common thread and narrative element that accompanies the enjoyment of the monumental heritage; the careful design of fixtures and lighting elements made from a single material is accompanied by a narrative use of technology.”