Light and Emotion: AE Studio’s Illuminating Workshop at Architecture Studios Night

As part of this year’s Architecture Studios Night, design house AE Studio, in collaboration with Atelierele ILBAH, hosted a creative workshop in which participants designed and built their own lighting fixtures.

Titled "Lights and Shadows", the workshop explored the emotional impact and sculptural potential of lighting in architecture, interior design, and product design. The event was part of the wider Romanian Design Week program.

"Architecture is the learned game, correct and magnificent, of forms assembled in the light." – Le Corbusier

Light as Emotion

Led by architect Andrei Ștefănescu, the workshop guided participants through a hands-on exploration of light as a sculptural and emotional element. Using a specially prepared design kit created by Ștefănescu, each participant received the same set of components.

With creativity and imagination as their tools, everyone crafted a unique lighting object, discovering the joy of the design process along the way.

Interior lighting plays a crucial role in defining the personality of a space, acting as a key factor in shaping architectural atmosphere. The emotion light evokes arises from multiple dimensions: form, composition, sculpturality, color temperature, color rendering index, scale, positioning, and the number of light sources used.

Lighting can be used to highlight specific areas or even to turn the light fixture itself into a focal point within a room.

Light as Sculpture

In architecture and design, lighting is not merely functional—it is an art form that enhances aesthetic value.

Sculptural thinking in lighting design creates dynamic plays of light and shadow, capable of transforming simple shapes into expressive works of art. For example, a lamp positioned at a particular angle can cast shadows on walls that become an integral part of the interior design. Indirect lighting can highlight minimalist architecture, bringing it to life with an almost organic presence.

Light Through the Lens

Another key aspect highlighted by Ștefănescu was the photographic exploration of the lighting objects created. Each lamp was photographed from multiple angles, revealing surprising new perspectives through the lens.

Photography became a tool to analyze and compare how objects are perceived differently by the human eye versus a camera. Much like sculpture, lighting design can tell a story through images, sketches, and references—adding another layer of expression to the creative process.

Light as Dialogue

The workshop also served as a platform for broader discussions on the role of design and architecture in society, and how these fields shape the spaces where we live, work, and connect.

Participants left with their own handcrafted lighting pieces, as well as valuable insights into selecting lighting fixtures that can significantly affect our mood and well-being.

The event concluded with a flute recital by Maria Velia, a scholarship holder of the Royal Margaret of Romania Foundation, whose performance added a harmonious final touch to the experience.

Attendees created a variety of pendant and desk lamps—some inspired by nature and sunlight, others focused on geometry or asymmetry—each a personal reflection of creativity sparked by light.