Aina Vilardell at the Lights in Alingsås Festival

Aina Vilardell, a student of the Bachelor in Design, participated this year in the Lights in Alingsås festival (Sweden), one of the most internationally recognized events dedicated to architectural, artistic, and ephemeral lighting design. 

Her participation was made possible thanks to a scholarship from Lightecture magazine, aimed at students interested in the field of lighting. This scholarship allowed her to take on the role of designer within an international project with more than 50 participants from around the world, divided into 6 groups to work on various site-specific lighting installations across the city. 

During the workshop week, from September 27 to October 4, 2025, students and professionals from different nationalities collaborated under the mentorship of renowned lighting designers to transform public spaces into installations that combine creativity, storytelling, and emotional impact. This year, the festival’s main theme was Movies in Lights, an invitation to explore how light can convey the emotions and magic of cinema. 

Aina worked on the installation at Site 4 – Bron/Utsiken, mentored by head coach Isabel Villar. The team created the piece titled “A Dialogue in Light”, inspired by Carpe Diem and the film Dead Poets Society. Their proposal aimed to create a story within a story, transforming light into an element that connects and dialogues with the viewer, inviting them to live the moment and become part of the narrative. 

According to Aina, the greatest challenge was working intensely both physically and emotionally, maintaining constant communication across different languages and cultures. However, the group’s collaboration, openness, and mutual respect transformed the experience into a profoundly enriching process, allowing not only the creation of a meaningful installation but also the formation of lasting friendships and a personal imprint. 

Aina describes this experience as a turning point in her approach to working with light, highlighting both the technical and creative knowledge gained and the inspiring leadership of the mentorship. For her, participating in this project has been a key experience in understanding light as a narrative, emotional, and transformative tool, and has opened a path to continue experimenting with a sensitive and critical perspective. 

The Lights in Alingsås festival can be visited until November 2, 2025, offering the public a nocturnal journey through multiple lighting installations that invite exploration of the urban environment from a poetic and cinematic perspective. 

Photos: Patrik Gunnar