A Sanctuary of Light: CENTER, the Exhibition Inside a Church at 3daysofdesign

Imagine a day in June in Copenhagen. The sun brings warmth in anticipation of summer and the city hums to the rhythm of 3daysofdesign. Hours slip away in a constant flow between colourful buildings and cobbled streets. In the heart of the city, the streets open up to reveal a brick church with a rectangular floor plan and a pitched slate roof. Surrounded by an aura of serenity that hints at what awaits inside. And what awaits is CENTER, Vibia’s lighting exhibition curated by Note (design studio), which offered calm, contemplation and stillness throughout the festival.

Inside Helligaandshuset Church, Vibia’s luminaires entered into a dialogue with the historic architecture in all their contemporary character. They made it feel approachable and accessible, while the building, in turn, elevated them. Their light touched every stone, every arch and every ribbed vault. Ritual became the thread connecting present and past because that is precisely what good lighting seeks to achieve: to accompany the ceremonies of everyday life, creating the right setting for every routine, every situation and every emotion. For three days, from 10 to 12 June, CENTER became a shared experience of light.

A large dark wooden table positioned at the centre of the installation acted as the focal point of this act of connection. It was a meeting place where designers, professionals and visitors could gather to converse, share ideas or simply sit and experience the light. On the table, around it, outside the church and within the threshold — the transitional space between the two — different yet complementary luminaires were displayed in a layered lighting composition reflecting the four areas of exploration, what we call design concepts, and with them, different ways of approaching the relationship between light, space and the people who inhabit it.

At the centre of the scene, on the table, were designs whose sensitive light is expressed through materiality, form and texture. These collections embody the concept of ‘Materiality and warm light’, representing the meeting point between lighting and art. Visitors to the exhibition in Copenhagen were able to discover two collections that will be available next autumn: Duna, designed by Cecilie Manz, and Array Lineal, by Umut Yamac. The first is a delicate structure made of washi paper, light and almost absent. The second explores the possibilities of thread to create luminous sculptures. Asia, by Antoni Arola, was also present, evoking the archetype of the Eastern house.

To one side of the installation stood Circus, by Antoni Arola, with its elegant simplicity designed to conduct light. Under the concept of ‘Conducting light through space’, it guided the visitor journey alongside the Plusminus collection by Diez Office, positioned behind Duna, between it and Array Lineal.

Both iconic collections, which have played a defining role in Vibia’s evolution, are born from this idea and share the same philosophy: a structure — a conductive bar in the case of the former and a textile belt in the case of the latter — into which different types of luminaires can be integrated. Designs that adapt in service of creativity.

At both ends of the large table, the scene evolved throughout the day thanks to luminaires responding to the concept of ‘Dynamic light’, whose illumination changed in tone and intensity to adapt to the natural light filtering through the large stained-glass windows. Among them were two collections that will soon join the Vibia catalogue: Daylight, by Daniel Rybakken, which evokes the effect of natural light entering through a window, and Oko, by Ramos & Bassols, a monolith floating in space whose light interacts with its form.

Their light was complemented by that of the acclaimed Pro, by Holscher Design, which subtly reinterprets the mechanism of the spotlight.

Finally, there were the collections that demonstrate how lighting adapts to different architectural contexts and how outdoor spaces also require warmth and atmosphere. This is the idea behind the fourth concept, ‘Indoor-outdoor living’, and examples could be found both inside and outside the church. Indoors were Africa, designed by Francisco Gomez Paz; Alba, by Palomba Serafini Associati; Mayfair Mini, by Diego Fortunato; and Musa, by Note Design Studio.

In the threshold, the transitional space between interior and exterior, visitors encountered Closer by Ichiro Iwasaki, which reappeared in the garden alongside Out, by Víctor Carrasco, both engaging in dialogue with the surrounding nature and the city beyond.

In a setting designed for connection, connection was indeed constant and genuine. It happened through spontaneous visits, but also through the ‘Meet the Designers’ sessions, which allowed visitors to meet the designers behind the collections in person, understand how they think and discover their creative processes. It was present from the very beginning, from the evening of June 10th, with the opening celebration that brought together friends of the brand.

Throughout these three days, while Copenhagen breathed design, CENTER offered an invitation to pause, to reflect and to be enveloped by light, by its texture and by the way it can transform a space and those who inhabit it. An invitation to experience that transformation.

The collections exhibited during 3daysofdesign are currently in development. Select designs are expected to be introduced in future releases for the North American market.