Schwartz Mansion
2023
Larissa, Greece

The Schwartz Mansion at Ampelakia, built in 1787 for Georgios Schwartz, exemplifies 18th-century Greek architecture. Today, the five-story mansion serves as a museum, offering visitors an immersive experience that transports them to the region’s historical era.

LIT Awards 2024 Winner in Heritage Lighting Design

The lighting design for the mansion’s restoration emphasizes on the interior architectural elements, especially the ceiling frescoes, while employing advanced techniques to prevent photolytic degradation and ensure their preservation.

A hierarchical lighting scheme balances intensity between exhibits, ornamental features, and surrounding areas, creating visual harmony. UV and infrared-free LED technology protects sensitive materials, while special lensed targeted lighting enhances colors, textures and exhibit details. Seamless integrated linear fixtures with special lenses for indirect lighting, effectively highlight the ceiling frescoes, avoiding shadows and providing uniform illumination. Complimentary suspended three-phase track systems with spotlights, provide highlight and circulation lighting where needed throughout the Mansion.

The lighting specifications align with the guidelines and recommendations established by the Larissa Ephorate of Antiquities and European Standards. High CRI and controlled light levels will ensure the conservation of both the frescoes and aged architectural elements.

Sustainability Approach
The lighting design integrates both technical and aesthetic principles, informed by museographic and museological studies. It prioritizes the protection of light-sensitive exhibits and the historic building, while promoting energy efficiency through the use of low-consumption equipment and controlled light levels. The lighting not only supports the interpretation of the museological narrative but also shapes the atmosphere of each space, aligning with its thematic significance and unique characteristics.