Lalbaug, a House Museum

How can architecture and artworks be revealed without erasing the feeling of a lived-in space?

This historic house, transformed into a private museum, is a place where art and memory naturally converge. The owner’s intention was to maintain the warmth and presence of a home while opening this heritage setting to visitors and distinguished guests. The lighting design, developed by Atelier dada, was therefore conceived as a subtle balance between intimacy and enhancement, discreetly supporting this dual identity.

The exterior lighting is imagined as a gentle luminous touch. It preserves the building’s silhouette and elegance while creating an inviting atmosphere for evening receptions. Small light sources, like “tiny moons,” are positioned atop the balustrades, diffusing a soft glow that reveals architectural volumes and depth. Delicate accents highlight the grace of arches and ornamental details, allowing the house to come alive at nightfall without ever becoming overexposed.

Within the landscape, pockets of light emerge through the foliage, forming small luminous oases that guide visitors through the garden. Suspended luminaires, carefully concealed within the trees, cast subtle glimmers of light, shaping a sensitive pathway between nature and architecture.

Inside, the lighting design had to respect existing electrical installations while providing appropriate visual comfort for the artworks on display. Without altering luminaire positions, a bespoke solution was developed using locally sourced fixtures fitted with SORAA MR16 LED lamps, renowned for their exceptional spectral quality and precise beam control. The result is a discreet and effective lighting scheme, seamlessly integrated into the museum spaces.

Although interior images cannot be shared, light plays a quiet yet fundamental role within. The dialogue between exterior and interior, between light and architecture, between memory and modernity, creates a fluid and immersive experience, where each beam becomes an invitation to pause and contemplate.