Cascina Ranverso stands in the lower Susa Valley and is one of the oldest agricultural structures in Piedmont: in fact, its construction dates back to 1782. Today it operates as an agritourism farm and embraces the philosophy of biodynamic agriculture.

The complex, which historically performed an exclusively agricultural function, has been restructured to be able to welcome guests to the farm. The spaces have been repurposed, while keeping the farmhouse’s historical identity intact.

To achieve this objective, solutions were chosen that aim at energy sustainability, utilising ecological materials with low environmental impact, and ensure the best possible use is made of the buildings. These same principles were applied to the lighting design by Susanna Antico Lighting Design Studio.

The concept behind the lighting design focuses on a perception of the spatial totality of the architectural structure, without visual fragmentation, and a respect for nocturnal light levels.

The skilful use of grazing light enhances the richness of the red brick that characterises the external walls and the internal courtyard. Like the Litus 5.4  recessed lighting fixtures, the Neva linear profiles, with elliptical optics and a warm colour temperature of 2700K, use LEDs with a high colour rendering index (>90) and honeycomb louvres to ensure visual comfort. Both types of fixture are barely perceptible, thanks to their careful positioning, which integrates them perfectly into the architecture, leaving just their light to capture the eye.

For the accent lighting on the young trees that line the entrance way from the main gate, provided by projectors, stakes of different lengths were supplied, so that the light source can be raised as the foliage on the hornbeams grows. The lighting on the maple and other plants in the central courtyard is also ready to adapt as their size changes. They are currently lit on both sides by Bright 3.G recessed fixtures; in the future, the lighting will be divided between a projected lighting effect and backlighting.

The courtyard is deliberately quite subtly lit with light grazing the internal perimeter and accents on the plants: a discreet presence that avoids a main, centralised light source. The intention is to then increase the lighting temporarily, when needed, to create the appropriate atmosphere for the reception events this location hosts.

Precisely because of Cascina Ranverso’s multifunctionality, Susanna Antico has made use of the technology typical of LED lighting fixtures to design some ad hoc lighting scenarios, for winter and summer (in which the light intensity is dimmed to between 10 and 60%, depending on the scenario), according to the type of event and the occupation of the rooms.