Teaching lighting design
in the Italian universities
How does a lighting designer become qualified?
A journey in the universities,
following tradition and innovation.
The opinions of eight professors
from eight universities, from Catania to Turin
E
ight professors from eight different
Italian universities compare the pros
and cons of Lighting Design courses in the
Italian universities.
These interviews offer an interesting picture
of the state of the universities, their relation
with the territory and the world of design
and production, their capacity to respond
to the present demand for education, and
the effort made to improve teaching in
a world of technological innovation and
greater digitalization. They are also a very
partial photograph of how teaching changes
at different latitudes and in different
manufacturing contexts, besides offering
a picture of how the building sector works
in Italy, where the topic of light is still
characterized by too much improvisation.
However, the interviews show that in the
Italian public universities, there is also
a desire to do something more.
Cinzia Buratti
Università di Perugia
24
LUCE 327 / FORMAZIONE
The tour of the Italian universities where
Lighting design is taught begins in the south,
from Catania, where Luigi Marletta works
in the department of Electric, Electronic and
Computer Engineering of the University
of Catania, “I teach Lighting engineering in the
Thermodynamics course, and dedicate about
twenty hours to this subject. It is not much,
certainly, but it is what is possible today, given
the present situation in the Italian universities.
I deal with basic education, regarding the
principles and scientific contents of the
subject, up to the technologies. Certainly more
would be necessary. In order to propose a
course that is suited to the times, there should
be a specific graduate course, which today
is unthinkable considering the present national
politics in the university segment. We are not
even able to replace our colleagues who retire,
just about imagine starting a specific graduate
course! In fact, I recently carried out a short
inquiry on the university courses that are
available in Italy, in most of the cases except
some laudable exceptions, lighting design is
taught as a part of Thermodynamics. There are
courses in Acoustics and Lighting engineering,
however they are not taught specifically. In
other words, the university teaches the basics,
and inside these courses it is a niche subject.”
The picture that emerges from the words of the
professor is not really exciting, one might say.
“Unfortunately this is how it is. From my
observatory I can only add that the projects
that are realized are of a good level, but there
still are too few of them. Lighting is something
one should not disregard. Instead, many
choices are delegated, for example, to the
seller. One rarely sees a company that calls
a qualified designer to design the lighting
system. There isn’t a great sensitivity, even
though the results, when work is done well,
do show.”
However, Francesco Leccese, who teaches
Lighting engineering and acoustics at the
Department of Energy Engineering of the
University of Pisa, offers an opposite view,
which may be described as optimistic.
“It is true that we pay for the lag, but it
must be said that in the last few years steps
forward have been made. And I do not refer
to more advanced experiences like Milan,
but in general I note that teaching Lighting
engineering has spread a bit everywhere
in Italy. This has increased awareness among
the students. We are obviously speaking
of teaching that is part of graduate courses,
in the fourth and fifth years of university,
in the old university system. These courses
train students in the practical aspects of
lighting design, not the basic subjects. Through
courses, seminars and workshops we come
into contact with the companies in this sector.
And the companies are very willing to carry
out practical activities. Since when we started
this seminar-activity, a dozen years ago,
some of our students have also found a job.”
So, the university lags behind, however
something is moving.
“True, we are late, also because Lighting
engineering is still considered a Cinderella,
yet there is some progress. Also because
I am convinced that the topic calls for
a right amount of consideration, also because
the level of discomfort due to an incorrect
design translates into an important
functional problem.”