The Vela di Calatrava, an architectural landmark in Rome’s Tor Vergata district, has recently undergone a transformative lighting project, revitalizing the once-abandoned structure in anticipation of the 2025 Jubilee. Designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, the 75-meter-high structure, resembling a sail, was initially intended for the 2009 World Swimming Championships but remained incomplete for over a decade.
December 2024, the Italian State Property Agency (Agenzia del Demanio) inaugurated a dynamic lighting installation that not only highlights the structure’s architectural elegance but also imbues it with symbolic meaning. The lighting design represents the celestial journey of the sun, moon, and stars, guiding pilgrims and reflecting the passage of time. The illumination sequence begins with warm hues reminiscent of sunset, transitions to cool whites symbolizing the waxing moon, and culminates in deep blues evoking a starry night sky, before gradually dimming.
Technically, the installation utilizes energy-efficient LED projectors with narrow optics, controlled via DMX systems for precise color transitions. The lighting is powered entirely by renewable energy sources, aligning with sustainable practices.
This project is part of a broader urban regeneration initiative, transforming the surrounding 49-hectare area into a green city focused on wellness, research, and education. The redevelopment includes an arena capable of hosting up to 12,000 visitors, aiming to attract investments through public-private partnerships.
Vela di Calatrava lights up with new energy
In the skies above Rome, a new light comes to life. The imposing Vela di Calatrava, with its architectural elegance, now stands as a symbol of rebirth, ready to welcome citizens, travelers, and pilgrims to the heart of Tor Vergata in Rome. This is more than just lighting—it’s a true visual experience, capable of transforming the structure into a moving work of art. As evening falls, the lights begin to narrate a story through color and atmosphere: from the warm hues of sunset to the purity of moonlight, from the shades of the sky to the silence of the stars. Light blends with the architecture, enhances it, and transforms it into a landmark for the Eternal City. This is a project that outlines the shape of a radiant future, in harmony with time, space, and the timeless beauty of Rome.
Prolamp: precision and power for an iconic structure
Here, light becomes narrative—an emotion, a living presence that moves with the passing hours. The new lighting design for the Vela di Calatrava transforms the architecture into a shifting stage, where each color marks a moment, a transition, a breath. Making this visual story possible is Prolamp by i-Led, a high-performance outdoor projector developed by Linea Light Group. Equipped with RGBW LEDs and a high-precision narrow-beam optic, Prolamp was chosen for its ability to enhance the structure’s texture with precise, even control, highlighting every detail of the sail’s metallic grid. Fully managed via DMX protocol, the lighting system allows for dynamic and finely tuned programming of lighting scenarios, capable of mirroring the natural rhythm of the day.
At sunset, a symphony of light
The choreography of light begins at sunset, with warm shades gradually shifting to cooler tones—from lunar white to sky blue to deep navy—fading into a luminous echo that seems to dissolve into the night sky. The result is a constantly evolving landscape that restores depth, rhythm, and life to one of the city’s most iconic structures. A poetic, technologically advanced work of art, entirely powered by renewable energy, merging sustainability, innovation, and beauty into a gesture of urban rebirth. The sails once again speak to the city, guided by a light that is not only visible—but profoundly evocative.
With its revitalised radiance, the Vela di Calatrava is no longer just a remarkable architectural achievement but also a glowing representation of resiliency and rebirth. It was once a monument to unfulfilled ambition, but the poetry of light has given it a new life, its sail-like shape catching not the wind but the aspirations of a city looking to the future.
More than just illuminating steel and space, the interaction of celestial hues that now dance across its structure rekindles a story of promise and purpose. The Vela emerges as a symbol of sustainability, innovative architecture, and a city that honours its eternal soul while gracefully embracing the future as Rome gets ready to welcome the world for the 2025 Jubilee. n
Lighting Design: Dolce e Luce Lighting Design Studio, Italy
Architect: Santiago Calatrava
Photography: Luca Adami
Year: 2024
