profession , but also of the subject of lighting technology as a technical and scientific product . If we want to increase the overall quality of professionalism in the field of lighting design , we need a change of direction . We have to make the effort ourselves . We cannot delegate to other people the professional tasks to which we are entitled by definition . On most of the projects our contribution is indispensable , I would say instrumental .” The number one of APIL will be assisted in this task by a board of directors made up of experienced colleagues . In fact , in the November meeting the members delegated Giovanni Albertin , Paolino Batani , Ivano Bressan , Silvia Perego , Giacomo Rossi and Francesca Storaro to support the actions of the new president . At the same time , the members , about forty in total , also made some changes to the existing statute . “ Small changes , actually . In addition to the duration of the association , we have provided for the presence of the figure of supporting members . These are necessary steps for any association that wants to last over time , and they are mandatory for us because , thanks to the framework of law on the crafts and professions , we are an association recognized by the Ministry . This is not just a formal recognition , you will easily understand it if you look to the fact that calls for tender for design projects require the professionals to be registered with an Italian Order or a recognized Association .” In fact , it is a legal obligation , even if it is not much respected . “ Regrettably , this is the case . We must also work towards public administration , so that this regulatory obligation is explicitly mentioned in calls for tender , at least in the most demanding ones . But in order to be able to dialogue with local authorities , we must have a greater presence on the ground .” One of the issues attracting the close attention of the president , who is also a consultant for the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo , is the certification of the professional activity of lighting designers . “ We will attempt to gain leverage by the certification of the lighting designer ’ s activity , which could be done in various ways , such as through curricula , completed works , or specific written and oral exams . For the lighting designers who are members of APIL , the introduction of the certification of lighting professionals is on the horizon ; to do this we need to activate protocols and procedures . It will take a long time , but we will get there . We are not really inventing anything . The American IALD , the International Association of Lighting Designers , has its own rather complex certification protocol ( to date , only two Italians , Cinzia Ferrara and Francesca Storaro , have registered , author ’ s note ), which shows the seriousness of their approach . In short , not just any certification is enough , because it does not help to improve the quality of the project and the works . But if we want to move in this direction , we as lighting designers must be present on the territory . Today , if it were decided that only lighting designers would design certain works , we would be the first ones to get into trouble , because we are still too few .” Every self-respecting president says in his policy statements that he wants to expand the membership base . Is this also the case for APIL ? “ Yes of course , but without overdoing it . We also have to raise the awareness of the clients , and of the national and local legislators . If , for example , we want the lighting design course of a school to be accredited by a specialist , a lighting designer , we need to lobby . We need to be there when decisions are made , at the right tables , both of the legislator and of the regulator .” In other words , there is no lack of work to be done for the new president . And he doesn ’ t shy away from having a dig at certain circles . “ Lighting is still seen solely as an opportunity to save energy . This outdated and culturally wrong approach is sadly enough still very much present among both designers and manufacturers . Because , let ’ s face it , the builders have the market in their hands . If we really will , as they say , raise the bar , then it will be the manufacturers themselves who will have to follow those who aim to raise the quality of the lighting design . Of course , it is a tiresome process , as ours is a challenge that requires a technical and cultural change .” Then , another programmatic point of the APIL president ’ s three-year mandate is to bring about a technical and cultural change . Tell us where to start from and through which instruments ? “ We need a lifelong education program . First of
all , it is we , the lighting designers , who need it , so the upgrade must also be done among our members . For example , there are colleagues who are good at designing the lighting for a sports facility , but who do not have any experience in the field of museum design . Disseminating the importance of lighting design is not an easy matter . In doing this we will not have everyone on our side . There are companies that do not like us , because in the design process our work is part of the relationship between the client and the builders . For years , there has been a standstill situation bringing about a low level of technological innovation . Today , most of the offer does not respond to new market needs , and many people are just happy with this situation . However , if we try to break through this barrier , we may succeed in bringing critical thinking into the lighting design , which is something unspecialised professionals have proved not to have . There is nothing to do , everybody must recognize the specificity of our competence . We cannot be indifferent to the fact that training for us usually consists of a short internship of a couple of days in a company . You cannot really call it training . You need to educate from a scientific basis . Being a lighting designer means having scientific knowledge , a specializing master degree , experience in companies and apprenticeships in studios . This last one has been lacking . Once , it used to be done and thoroughly well . In fact , if you want to be trained as a lighting designer , you truly need to work side by side with them .” Another difficult issue is the relationship between the figure of the lighting designer and those who are at the cutting edge of the architectural world and working on large-scale projects all over the world . “ Regrettably , there is little dialogue between this world and us . The big design studios approach the companies directly , partly out of professional jealousy . And on closer inspection , the results are not always positive . The famous architects want to make architecture and consequently , most of them are uninterested in the artificial light . Typically , large design studios tend to do everything in-house . We don ’ t have many chances to intervene on this point . It is the client who makes and must make the difference . Our work requires strong specific skills , which cannot be found in another profession . Unfortunately , many see us as competitors . These things have to be said , if we want to be intellectually honest . However , there are also positive aspects that have affected our sector in recent years . Personally , with Maurizio Rossi at the Milan Polytechnic , I am committed to developing the new generation of lighting professionals . In recent years , around 500 students have been trained in the 18 editions of the specializing master . Some of them are now working in companies , others on their own , and others in design studios . This is also how we can bring out the critical sense in the design approach . That is how we can broaden the base of specialists and have a certain number of lighting designers spread across Italy in a short space of time . To moralise the market , we need more lighting experts , properly trained and certified .” The last topic that Palladino addresses concerns a disciplinary aspect , or the complexity of lighting design . “ Designing the light is very difficult , as it is objectively a very complex subject . And like all complex things , it is subject to trivialisation . It is often the case that the distributor himself designs a lighting project , using free software that produces outputs that have nothing to do with lighting design . These are methods that in no way take into account the perceptual aspect related to the lighting design . There are so many variables in perception that it is impossible to rely solely on numerical parameters and / or modelling . Moreover , the perception of light depends on many factors , because perception is governed by complex physiological and psychological phenomena . Visual processes do not obey linear laws , and consequently modelling cannot provide reliable predictions . Ultimately , we need to work on developing the technical and cultural competences of our professionals . Finally , I would add that designing is not enough , you also need to know how to make a lighting system last over time . To achieve this result , scientific skills are needed , skills that has been severely lacking in recent years .”
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