Lighting designer Chiara Carucci has unveiled her exciting new service, Noctua – Cultural and Natural Heritage Lighting Design.
Chiara has launched Noctua as a bridge between research and practice, aiming to protect heritage while embracing the future. The principle behind the company is that heritage sites are living history, and their stories should continue to be told even when the sun sets. Conservation efforts can often be focused just during daylight hours, and Noctua seeks to make more of these precious natural and built environments.
Noctua aims to revitalize spaces by integrating cultural narratives with environmental responsibility, while ensuring conservation and enhancing visitor experiences.
Chiara will apply her international and unique blend of expertise to tackle the complex challenges of heritage sites and diverse urban environments with innovative, context-sensitive solutions. She will continue to ensure successful outcomes through her adaptive management process, rooted in background analysis, hands-on testing, stakeholder refinement, and post-completion evaluation. This method, already proven through Chiara’s previous projects, will continue to guide Noctua’s dedicated approach from the early stages through the construction phase. This approach will allow Noctua to deliver long-lasting value, minimizing potential risks in terms of economy, time expenditure, ecology, while also reducing installation and continuing general expenses such as energy use and maintenance.
Noctua is a collaboration led by Chiara, Principal Lighting Designer, alongside Erik Hagström, Lighting Designer; and Dr. Rosangela Addesso, Environmental Scientist. This partnership between lighting designers and a biologist uniquely positions Noctua as a fully encompassing consultancy that draws in expertise from different perspectives to deliver a truly sustainable future. This forward-thinking interdisciplinary team undoubtedly strengthens the company’s approach to lighting design, especially in sensitive ecological contexts.
Explaining the background to the establishment of Noctua, Chiara Carucci said:
“With two decades of experience in the lighting industry, traveling for work and conferences across the world and meeting the most interesting people (and living beings) I realised that I bring a quite unique perspective to the table that I should fully embrace and take advantage of. I also quickly came to appreciate how much I enjoy collaborating with individuals who possess multiple skill sets.
“Throughout my professional journey, working alongside experts like water and traffic engineers, conservation architects, and scientists has proven invaluable. A memorable instance occurred in 2017 during a discussion about a linear park in Sweden, where the City architect raised concerns about beavers harming trees and consequently disrupting bird nests, including those of two protected species. The guidance of a zoologist and an ornithologist enabled us to devise an optimal solution for the lighting design.
“As my work in Sweden continued to broaden my perspective on the interconnectedness of ecosystems and cascading effects of our design after dark, I found myself increasingly drawn to projects that considered the needs of all living beings. I gained experience working in various environments and harmonizing the coexistence of different species. “Walking the talk” led me to an exciting project: I was offered the opportunity to design the lighting for two tourist caves that are home to protected bats, in a very delicate ecosystem. Since the project was in Italy and we had just transitioned to working remotely, I realized this was the perfect moment to scale down and focus on what truly mattered to me – serving not just people, but all living beings.
“Fast forward three years, after moving to Cilento, Italy, while continuing to collaborate with colleagues and clients in Sweden, I found myself longing for a space dedicated to informed design – one that bridges research and practice and fosters interdisciplinary cooperation and storytelling. This vision is a reality with Noctua: I look forward to welcoming forward-thinking, passionate people to co-create new ways of living after dark.
“The timing was right to bring together these experiences: under the mission to protect our heritage while embracing the future, Noctua weaves cultural narratives and environmental responsibility. Be part of the change, co-create with us!”
Demonstrating Chiara’s expertise and extensive knowledge, she recently secured a prestigious accolade, being part of the design team for the second-place award in the highly competitive LUCI awards.
The award recognizes the positive impact of the lighting design in the borough of Eskilstuna, Sweden, with Chiara acting as the sole lighting designer for the project. The project was the transformation of the Hamngatan and MDU plaza into a dynamic community space that seamlessly integrates urban amenities with natural beauty.
The award specifically reflects on the innovative catenary lighting at pedestrian crossings and the seamless integration of lighting into landscape design features. The project fosters connectivity and safety, and it prioritizes an ecological approach with measures like full cut-off fixtures and minimal, warm lighting. The collaborative effort promotes both social and environmental sustainability.
Concluding on the exciting launch of Noctua, Chiara added: “As lighting designers, we’re not just illuminating spaces – we’re stewards of the environment.
It’s our responsibility to advocate for responsible lighting practices that benefit people and protect our planet. Especially in ecologically sensitive areas, tailored lighting solutions are essential alongside collaboration with independent lighting designers who value the importance of darkness and know how to apply the right light at the right time, the right balance between light and darkness, benefiting all living beings now and for the future.”
For more information on Noctua, visit https://noctua.life/ (this can be changed to the correct address one the site finishes BETA).
