Palazzo Doglio

A new light in the city

At a very short distance from Cagliari’s historic centre and surrounded by some of the city’s most interesting cultural sites (such as Piazza San Cosimo and the Church of San Lucifero), Palazzo Doglio is the only hotel in Sardinia that reconciles business commitments with the desire for a holiday, through a range of first-rate services that pass from holistic treatments in the 400-square-metre spa to the Member’s Club, modelled on the English Gentlemen’s Clubs and dedicated to wellness, business and leisure, along with the Corte, a private courtyard for public use extending 2,000 square metres and available for both hotel guests and external visitors wanting to try one of the four restaurants inside the hotel, enjoy a cocktail in the American Bar or even shop in the hotel’s multi-brand boutique or the jewellery shop specialising in the historic Sardinian craft of goldsmithing. Not least, Palazzo Doglio is the only hotel in Cagliari that forms part of the prestigious circuit of The Leading Hotels of the World.

The building has recently undergone redevelopment, which has preserved the authentic spirit of the 1920s, starting with the external façade that has gone from a bright yellow to a more elegant colour, specially created to be consistent with the complex and to confer a contemporary and immediately-recognisable touch to the overall structure.

At the same time, the study of the lighting – which plays a leading role in the project – acts as a fil rouge between the various elements of the renovation. Starting from a context in which night lighting was almost absent, considered only for road traffic, an environment was created where light contributes to bringing the area back into the dynamics of city life.

The lighting project, and in particular the lighting of the façade, involved the use of numerous Linea Light Group solutions with the aim of enhancing not only the building as a whole but also its details. The Periskop projector, for example, was installed to illuminate the outer façade of the building and the façade facing the Corte, which has now become a public square following the redevelopment project. The discreet design and minimalist lines render Periskop the perfect luminaire to emphasise details in an elegant way. The Suelo uplights used to emphasise the two entrances – both the main entry on the street and that within the Corte – complete the picture. Also in the Corte, the balconies are illuminated by the Vedette single-emission wall lamps, which are extremely versatile and thus the ideal solution for emphasising details and creating elegant plays of light. The Paseo and Thin66 linear profiles, both in the RGBW versions, were installed at the hotel entrance in the Corte to create lighting landscapes. Normally utilised in white, on the occasion of special celebrations, they can be programmed to create evocative scenic effects. To complete the illumination of the internal courtyard, Orma uplights have been used like walkways at the base of the columns along the perimeter, whilst Prolamp projectors with the Dali protocol dim the light and create lighting effects for special events.

Linea Light Group’s solutions have also been adopted in the hotel’s interior design. In particular, the Cob44 downlights were chosen for the corridors and the general lighting of the rooms. Very discreet, they adapt to the various environments, ensuring uniform and soft lighting. The Nitum downlight was installed to illuminate the entrance to the room, whilst the practical and unobtrusive Picrol recessed spotlight (with a round flange that comes in various finishes and different optics) was installed for dramatic effects inside the rooms. In the spa and fitness area, the Gypsum recessed downlights have been used for the reception desk and general lighting. The Beret uplights have been fitted to the walls, whilst in the relaxation zones, comfortable light is provided by the recessed Quantum spotlight that combines high performance with a sophisticated design. Not for nothing, it was awarded the prestigious RedDot Award. Finally, the Optus projector – a versatile fixture with interchangeable optics plus accessories for emission and glare control – provides clean and precise lighting specifically for the fitness area.

Last but not least, the theatre within the hotel has been brought back to life after having been closed for 37 years. Now, it has been transformed into the perfect venue for cultural events, conventions and conferences. Here, the lighting design included the installation of Iris67 projectors with the DALI protocol to illuminate the stalls and create scenographic lighting effects. The Cob44 was then chosen for the common areas, whilst the Tara has been selected for the meeting rooms within the theatre itself.

Credits:

Architectural design: Studio Mei & Pilia Associati

Interior design: Studio Sergi, Architect Sandro Sergi

Spa design: Studio Simona Corpino

Theatre design: SAA Architects, Architect Carlo Borbone

Façade lighting project: Linea Light Group, Lighting Design Department

Products: Periskop, Suelo, Vedette, Paseo RGBW, Thin66 RGBW, Orma, Prolamp, Cob44, Nitum, Picrol, Gypsum, Beret, Quantum, Optus, Iris67, Tara

Photo: Dario Sequi

Year: 2020