PNEUMA
Castello Alfonsino – Forte a Mare, Brindisi
PNEUMA is a site-specific lighting installation created for Castello Alfonsino, located on the island of Forte a Mare in Brindisi, as part of the restoration and functional enhancement of the historic fortress.
The project originates from the intention to introduce a contemporary lighting presence capable of engaging in dialogue with the historic architecture without overlapping or dominating it. Light is not conceived as a decorative element, but as a perceptual tool—able to accompany the space, respect its materiality, and activate a new sensory interpretation.
Zero55 developed the entire lighting system, designing fully custom luminaires and overseeing all project phases, from product development to on-site lighting programming.
Architect
Arch. Antonio Zunno
Arch. Laura Basco
Engineering
Eng. Mario Congedo
Eng. Chiara Giaquinto
Design collective
damp collective
Lighting design, custom luminaires & installation
Zero55 Srl
Photo & video credits
Raffaella Quaranta
TipologiaType
Site-specific lighting installation
Technology
Custom-designed RGBW luminaires
Control
RGBW dynamic scene programming with on-site fine-tuning
The Project
Castello Alfonsino is a 16th-century fortress built directly on the rocky shoreline at the entrance to Brindisi’s harbor. Its interior spaces, defined by massive masonry walls and barrel vaults, required a lighting intervention capable of enhancing the architecture without altering its historic perception.
A key aspect of the project was the functional reuse of the old overhead crane, originally used as a boat storage system. This existing structure was reinterpreted as a technical and infrastructural support for the lighting installation, avoiding invasive interventions on the historic surfaces.
The luminaires were installed above the overhead crane, using its geometry to discreetly and reversibly integrate the lighting system into the space.
The project concept is called PNEUMA, a Greek word meaning vital breath. Light becomes an immaterial element flowing through the architecture, generating atmosphere, rhythm, and perceptual continuity.
Two main lighting scenes were developed:
- a white light scene (2700K), ensuring uniform and functional illumination;
- a dynamic blue scene, inspired by the sea, where light slowly moves along the vaults, creating a controlled “wave” effect.
The Product
For the PNEUMA project, Zero55 developed fully custom FLUE luminaires, with dimensions and configurations specifically designed for the architecture of Castello Alfonsino.
The fixtures are equipped with RGB White LED boards, allowing a seamless transition between functional white light and dynamic colored light. The asymmetrical optics were calibrated to evenly wash the vaulted surfaces, avoiding glare while maintaining precise beam control.
To ensure full integration, a custom-made housing was designed above the overhead crane, serving to:
- contain the luminaires;
- completely conceal cabling, power supplies, and control systems;
- preserve the visual integrity of the historic architecture.
This technical volume also accommodates the systems required for dynamic scene programming, essential for creating the lighting effect inspired by the movement of the sea.
The product is not conceived as a visible object, but as an invisible lighting infrastructure, allowing only the effect of light itself to emerge within the space.
The Result
The result is a permanent lighting installation that engages in a subtle dialogue with the architecture, enhancing its character and spatial depth without overpowering it.
Light does not occupy space but flows through it. It reveals surfaces, guides the visitor, and gives Castello Alfonsino a new narrative dimension, where functional and expressive lighting coexist in balance.
For Zero55, PNEUMA represents a clear example of how light—when custom-designed and integrated from the earliest stages—can become an integral part of architecture and the enhancement of historic heritage.
