On October 27, 2026, from 2 to 6 p.m., the Aula Labò of the Department of Architecture at Roma Tre University, housed in the former Mattatoio slaughterhouse complex, will host the 14th edition of Progettare il Progettista, the annual conference organized by APIL – Association of Lighting Professionals anddedicated to the ethical, cultural, and technological evolution of the professions tied to lighting design. This year’s theme, Designing light between neuroscience and architecture, puts lighting design at the center of the debate as an interdisciplinary practice,along with the ways the luminous environment shapes how weexperience space. ATMOSFERA Mag is supporting this edition as a media partner.
Light, perception, and neuroscience in the built environment
Whether natural or controlled, light influences human perceptual, cognitive, and physiological processes, with measurable effects on behavior, well-being, and the quality of spatial experience. Today, neuroscience applied to architecture offers tools for interpreting these phenomena, as long as they are used with methodological rigor and combined with direct observation of users and the contexts in which spaces are used. This is the field of research in which Progettare il Progettista 2026 positionsitself, approaching neuroarchitecture as a transdisciplinary territory spanning neuroscience, environmental psychology, and design. The focus is on visual and non-visual systems, the regulation of circadian rhythms, the role of natural light and the light-dark cycle, as well as the effects of the lighting environment on learning, mood, stress, and sleep quality.
Still, neuroscience is treated as a tool for interpretation and understanding, not a prescriptive model. Scientific data is read alongside observations of real-world behavior and the complexity of human experience in space, putting the relationship between mind, body, and environment front and center.
Rethinking the role of the lighting designer
Ultimately, the conference is also a reflection on the role of the designer, who is now called on to integrate scientific knowledge, design experience, and attentive listening to users. From this perspective, light is no longer merely a technical parameter but a structural component of design, capable of shaping health, behavior, and the quality of living.