For the ‘Christmas in Trieste’ project, Spacecannon created the Christmas lighting display for the Castle of San Giusto, one of the city’s most recognisable landmarks.
Commissioned by Edison Next, the project combined two different lighting styles: on the one hand, the architectural lighting of the Casa del Capitano in festive red and blue tones; on the other, the projection of snowflakes onto the structure, designed to add movement and atmosphere to the scene.
The result is a minimalist yet striking light installation, visible throughout the festive season, from the first weekend in December until Epiphany.

The project was created by combining two different technologies, each with a specific function.

The first focused on the architectural appearance of the castle: RAINBOW I projectors were used to create a dynamic backlight, with a combination of red and blue in keeping with the Christmas theme. The lighting added depth to the Casa del Capitano, enhancing its appearance at night without turning it into a featureless mass.

The second technology introduced a more dramatic element: the Black Devil 300 projectors created a projection of snowflakes onto the structure, adding movement and visual continuity to the installation.

In ‘Christmas in Trieste’, the lighting did more than simply adorn the castle. It created a distinctive scene that harmonised with the architecture and the festive spirit.

For the backlighting, Spacecannon used RAINBOW I projectors with a recording and playback function.

The colours and fade times were stored directly in the projector’s internal memory. Once powered up, the system played the scenes on a loop for the entire duration of the festivities.

This choice has made it possible to achieve a dynamic effect without the need for an external DMX controller. This is a significant advantage in a temporary installation: reduced complexity, faster set-up times and simpler system management.

The project demonstrates how lighting design can be effective even when using simple technical solutions, provided the planning is carefully thought through from the outset.

The snowflake projection was created using Black Devil 300 projectors, programmed on-site via an on-board computer.

This approach made it possible to manage the effect on site, adapting it to the building’s structure and the actual conditions of the installation. The glowing snow added a narrative element to the project, creating a subtle interplay between the historic architecture and the festive atmosphere.

The movement of the snowflakes added a touch of lightness to the scene, whilst the red and blue background provided a strong and distinctive colour scheme.

The installation remained on display from the first weekend of December until Epiphany. During this period, the system withstood wind gusts of over 120 km/h.

This fact highlights a fundamental aspect of the work: a Christmas lighting project must not merely be spectacular. It must operate reliably, be installed with care and maintain its performance even in challenging environmental conditions.

In the case of San Giusto Castle, Spacecannon created a solution that successfully combines atmosphere, reliability and ease of management.