In the heart of Ferrara’s mediaeval quarter, the garden of Palazzo Schifanoia – also known as the Garden of Love – has been brought back to life through an integrated botanical and lighting design project. The initiative has restored beauty and purpose to this historic space, where architecture, nature and memory interact in harmony with the environment and the night sky.

The project has transformed the garden into a place suspended in time: geometric hedges, pergolas, ancient espalier-trained fruit trees, climbing roses, and paths lined with aromatic plants restore a sense of harmony that evokes the original Renaissance atmosphere, reinterpreted through a contemporary lens. The landscape design, inspired by the original layout, enhances the relationship between greenery and architecture, creating a coherent, immersive setting.

To complete the project, the lighting design, by Giordana Arcesilai, introduces a luminous language that discreetly guides visitors through the garden. Warm, controlled light directs the gaze, highlights geometries and delicately reveals materials and textures, transforming the experience of sundown into an evocative stroll.

All fixtures were chosen with low power and a warm 2200K colour temperature, creating an intimate atmosphere that respects nature and is in tune with the context. Only the spotlights providing functional lighting on the canopy over the bar use a more neutral 3000K light, to ensure visibility and safety where needed, without disrupting the overall harmony.

The colour of the fixtures was also carefully devised: the customized finish was obtained by adapting the paint used for the orchard and pergola structures. This bespoke shade was developed in collaboration with the professionals involved in creating the other garden elements to ensure visual continuity and aesthetic coherence throughout the project.

The project involved close collaboration between lighting designer Giordana Arcesilai, landscape architect Manfredi Patitucci and Luce&Light, all coordinated by architect Rossella Bizzi of the Municipality of Ferrara, who oversaw the architectural design. Working together, they were able to identify solutions that enhance every element of the garden. Among the most notable of these were the creation of customized lanterns, the choice of amber light for all fixtures, and the use of prototype products, tested directly on site to verify both their lighting effect and their integration into the context. Every decision was guided by the desire to minimize environmental impact and safeguard the nocturnal ecosystem, through a sustainable and measured approach that fully respects the site’s historical and botanical identity.

The garden’s pathways are lit by Plin Round 6.2 bollards, which discreetly guide visitors, tracing the geometry of the paths without spill light and maintaining the intimate ambience. The simple cylindrical lines of their minimalist design and warm colour temperature integrate seamlessly with the natural surroundings, evoking the torches used after nightfall in the Renaissance period. The fixtures’ 360° emission ensures uniform illumination along the entire way.

On the pergolas spanning the footpath, Ginko 3.0 projectors with shadow-effect filters and a custom-designed mounting system create subtle interplays of light and shade. These effects, reminiscent of sunlight filtering through the foliage of the rose garden, guide visitors with precise and picturesque lighting. English-style benches along the path are softly lit by bespoke lanterns designed by Arcesilai and crafted specifically for the project. These, too, incorporate Ginko 3.0 fixtures with shadow-effect filters to produce a soft, unobtrusive light that recreates the enchantment of the sun’s shadows among the greenery, inviting visitors to linger.

On the perimeter walls, Ginko 2.0 fixtures with 2200K dichroic filters harmonize with the warm tones of the overall design, bringing out the natural colours and textures of the bricks. The dichroic filter was chosen to create the desired visual effect in the absence of a standard 2000K option for this version. The result is an even, enveloping light that enhances the brickwork’s material properties.

Finally, the Spot 3.4 fixtures installed on the canopy above the bar provide safety lighting at night, allowing full usability of the space after dark without affecting the garden’s overall ambience.

This project is an excellent example of how lighting, architecture and landscape can interact sustainably and respectfully, giving back to the city not only a historic site but also a garden to enjoy both day and night.

“Working on the garden at Palazzo Schifanoia was both a privilege and a challenge. My aim was to create an intimate atmosphere consistent with the history and identity of this place, once an Este family ‘delizia’ – a retreat dedicated to leisure, pleasure, and rest.

My collaboration with Luce&Light was invaluable – not only for their technical expertise but also for their attention to detail, openness to dialogue and ability to translate design needs into tailor-made solutions. Together we experimented, tested and fine-tuned every element until we achieved the right colours and light for this unique site: a warm, respectful light that evokes the original Renaissance atmosphere, defined by the glow of torches and firebrands.”

— Giordana Arcesilai, lighting designer