Acclaimed stage and experience designer Es Devlin, opened her latest project ‘Library of Light’ at the Milan Design Week 2025. The multisensory installation consists of a momunemtal circular sculpture, measuring 18 meters in diameter, comprising of illuminated bookshelves housing over 3,000 books. Visitors can listen to readings "recited" by the library itself while texts are displayed on an LED screen as beams of light which illuminate the literary pages, creating a blend of literature and lighting.
The Library of Light aims to generate active participation, with visitors browsing the collection, encouraged to contribute their own books and help build a growing archive of books that will form part of the Milan Library System. This participatory element transforms the installation into a communal space, emphasizing the collective nature of knowledge and storytelling.
Design fair Salone del Mobile commissioned the piece with the 3,000 books on display chosen and donated by Italian publishing house Feltrinelli to go with the fair's theme, Thought for Humans.
