projects | Viabizzuno progettiamo la luce

in borgo cavour, in the old town centre of treviso, stands palazzo ancilotto, a 16th century building that has been remodelled several times over the ages, finally being converted to serve as the headquarters of 21invest, an investment company founded by alessandro benetton. the restoration project was assigned to david chipperfield architects – whose founder was awarded the pritzker prize in 2023 – that based their entire project on a systematic removal of the layers of interventions undertaken to meet the building's different uses, in order to bring to light the traces of those who inhabited it over the course of more than five hundred years. thus, refined frescoed ceilings, signs of fine wall decorations and finely adorned wooden ceilings emerged. the restoration of palazzo ancilotto represents 21invest's commitment to preserve the history and tradition of the city, while also contributing to the redevelopment of the entire surrounding area, thus creating a harmonious and functional context. the lighting design follows the same guidelines as the architectural design, developing lighting solutions that fulfil different aims: functional lighting that ensures visual comfort in the office areas; lighting that enhances the historical and artistic elements of the building without damaging them; iconic lighting that evokes the splendour of a noble place. given the uniqueness of the project, the location and the client, an entire furniture system in bleached beech was developed for palazzo ancilotto together with david chipperfield: in all the offices as well as in the meeting rooms, there are tables, consoles, cabinets, sound-absorbing light panels and drawer units from the lancillotto furnishing collection. the minimalist linearity and clarity of tone harmonises with the different spaces, from the richly decorated to the more modern and linear third and top floor, in which the architect's hand made itself felt more authoritatively. in each of the elements of the collection, light is perfectly integrated thanks to the use of the traccia sistema, which is compatible with many other Viabizzuno solutions such as linear led units, spotlights and table lamps. in the last few years, changes in the way of working have become evident and consequently the idea of the office has changed. the ownership have picked up on this signal and wanted flexible spaces and furniture for their employees, where workstations can be customised and adapted to the needs of each employee. the lancilotto collection also includes wall and floor lamps, innovative solutions designed and built specifically for this location: lancillotto parete terra light fittings. the metal arm that supports the light source bends away from the wall and makes the lamp reminiscent of renaissance torches. craftsmanship, technology and a reminder of the past are all wrapped up in a single element, immersed in light of the highest quality guaranteed by the n55 sistema. a further design challenge was the fact that in many areas it was impossible to use walls and ceilings for lighting systems. but from this initial difficulty an opportunity was born: ticablo was created specifically to work on the ground, below the actual floor level, thanks to a system of housings and conduits that allow the cables to be brought to wherever they are needed. natural brass turrets protrude above the floor from the housings, turning into sockets, switches or light fittings. the functional lighting, designed like a tailor-made suit to meet the needs of palazzo ancilotto, is complemented by iconic lighting. the first entrance corridor is illuminated by a series of accademi, from whose opaque glass bordered by a brass-finished band a soft, enveloping ambient light is diffused. in a first meeting room, a coppibartali with a special anchoring system floats above the table. two da ma colonna are the protagonists of the reception room for the building’s guests, while a royal chandelier with a special anchoring system gives another meeting room the sumptuousness of a ballroom.