La Luce – The Story of Creating the Sun

HORECA

La Luce is a warm and welcoming Italian restaurant located on the shores of Kachyne Lake in Lviv. “Sun, water and atmosphere — all of this embodies the concept of Dolce Far Niente, the art of enjoying the moment.” Together with the designers from Globarch Group, the LUMINAL team created the language of light for this venue.

La Luce translates from Italian as “light” or “sun.” This dual meaning became the source of the project’s central idea and visual focal point — a large interactive luminaire above the bar that resembles the sun. Its creation involved numerous experiments with structure, light colors and materials.

Mykola Mihal, Head of Lighting Design at LUMINAL, shares insights into the project’s realization:

“Initially, we considered using a lightbox — an advertising structure with a back panel and illuminated lines forming a light panel. However, this solution had several drawbacks. First, the large surface of the lightbox would have required 30–40 times more energy due to inefficient light sources. Second, the rounded corners complicated manufacturing, and within the confined space of the bar area the structure would have overheated, reducing the lifespan of the light sources. For these reasons, we abandoned this idea. Instead, we chose a ceiling-mounted structure that works with optics and creates a more natural impression of sunlight. Finding the right balance between brightness and material was not easy.”

Dense fabric under mixed lighting lost its color, appearing dull. To prevent this, external luminaires were added to emphasize the tone of the sky even during the day. When fine-tuning the effect on site, the team observed how the sun and sky interact and change throughout the day. However, another challenge emerged: the hall is quite deep, and the colors of the sky outside were not clearly visible. Standing inside near the bar with our “sun,” we could barely see the horizon to adjust the light to its blue tones.

At first, a saturated blue color was chosen, but during the day it appeared too cold. LUMINAL’s lighting designers noticed that the water and buildings on the horizon reflect warm sunlight, adding softer, warmer hues. In the enclosed space, the light blended and sometimes produced an unnatural green tint. The team therefore continued experimenting on site to achieve a gradient resembling a desert sun: warmth below and coolness above.

Lighting designer’s insight: “The most challenging part was recreating daylight while combining warm and cool tones.”

Of course, the taste of Italy is most vividly revealed through wine. That is why the wine cabinet functions as a kind of light art installation, where hundreds of bottles become exhibits behind glass. However, wine can degrade under certain light spectra, so the lighting in the wine area was designed to direct light away from the bottle shelves as much as possible, focusing it only on the tasting areas and circulation paths.

Some of the bottles are placed on a textured rock surface, where light directed from above and below highlights the relief of the material, adding depth and texture.

Luminaires shaped like willow branches add an aesthetic element while also serving as focused lighting for the tables. During the implementation process, the idea emerged to place them at different heights. To achieve this, the LUMINAL team adjusted their brightness using in-house modules supporting the DALI protocol.

“We added a hinged mechanism — the small tubular element can now rotate, allowing the direction of light to be adjusted as needed. Throughout the project, we worked closely with the contractor responsible for manufacturing all the furniture. As a result, the lighting integrated into the furniture, mirrors and decorative wall sconces is also adjustable, creating a cohesive atmosphere,” adds Dmytro Faianov, Head of Sales at LUMINAL.

Lighting the chefs’ work area became a separate challenge. The chefs required more light, but the team found a balance by using custom constructions that concealed the light sources. This approach provided sufficient illumination for work while avoiding excessive brightness that could disrupt the harmony of the interior.

The LUMINAL team brought its expertise to the project and provided author’s supervision throughout the implementation. From an engineering perspective, every detail was carefully considered: power supplies are concealed in dedicated niches, while the controller automatically adjusts the lighting according to astronomical time. A simple and intuitive control panel also allows the required lighting scenarios to be activated manually.

Thanks to the warm, localized lighting, the space feels light and welcoming — the lighting design enhances the emotions and experience of guests who come to enjoy the atmosphere and the flavors of Italian cuisine.