52|PROTAGONISTA “The best lighting in an architectural work is the one that offers a high degree of comfort, respects and showcases the architectural space” thought energy was eternal. When illumination is done intelligently, you don’t need to use much light; you can have minimal consumption. If the pupil doesn’t close, you see perfectly well with a small amount of light. Besides, today there are myriad ways to illuminate and the norms should conform to them. A good example is the prohibition of incandescence of which spoke Ingo Maureer. Prohibiting incandescence lightbulbs is an excess. It is one thing to ban them in some spaces but, privately, if I buy them, there is no reason I cannot use them. Prohibition is always dangerous. The Oracle at Delphi declared “Nothing in excess”. That is a maxim from 2.400 years ago and it should be present and lived every single day. Is light an inherent part of all your professional activities? Are you thinking of lighting concepts when you design a piece of furniture or when you are working on a painting? If I am designing exterior furniture, light is only present because I make sure the piece doesn’t shine, that it doesn’t reflect the sun. Now, if I am designing interior or painting art, light is the undisputed main character. In my opinion, this specialty is not taught enough in the architecture schools. I have learned it, mostly with photographers and scenographers, and consider it fundamental. More emphasis should be placed in the academic study of this discipline. As a writer, are you planning to write a book on lighting in the near future? This is a topic I have covered in some books but I don’t have one dedicated solely to lighting. I might do it someday. I have said things on this interview that I would like to compile. When writing a book, thoughts have to be organized so it could very well take 5 or 6 years to complete. It’s not only about writing, ideas have to be clear so as not be repetitive. The truth is that light interests me very much and I might well end up writing a book on it. ■ El techo de la estación de metro de Toledo tiene un interés tremendo, por eso se decidió no taparlo con ninguna luminaria o sistema de iluminación. / The ceiling in the Toledo subway station has a great inter- est, for this reason there are not any lamps or lighting systems covering it. © Luciano Romano