Spaces: Interior & Landscape
Client: Private individual
Torre Zabaleta, a historic medieval tower house located in Lesaka, Navarra, has been transformed into a rural guesthouse, preserving its architectural character and material integrity. The stone structure, complex geometry and vertical connections define a unique spatial experience, which the lighting design carefully accompanies and enhances.
The lighting concept is based on the interplay of light and shadow, creating distinct lighting zones and revealing the building’s spatial depth, both in the interior spaces and on the adarve level. Functional and ambient lighting work together to ensure visual comfort and a clear spatial reading. Low-level focused beams support the different uses of each space while maintaining visual differentiation, while diffuse and indirect light softly unveils the architectural volumes.
The staircase, as the main vertical connection within the building, is treated as a key spatial element. Integrated lighting on the vertical surfaces enhances orientation and functionality, while highlighting the texture of the stone and reinforcing the perception of space. Warm colour temperatures are used throughout the project—2700 K in interior spaces and ceilings, and 3000 K in the stair void—to establish subtle hierarchies and emphasise the material qualities of the architecture.
In the outdoor areas, the lighting design reinforces the organic character of the site, creating a calm and welcoming nocturnal atmosphere. Pathways are subtly defined through linear low-level lighting, revealing the surrounding vegetation, while tree canopies are illuminated from ground level to create vertical light effects and improve visual comfort. Portable decorative luminaires add flexibility, adapting the space to different moments and uses, and enriching the guesthouse experience.