Italian Town Utilizes Giant Mirror to Bring Winter Sun Back to Viganella

Viganella, Italy – Nestled in a valley on the Italian-Swiss border, the small village of Viganella faces a unique challenge. Due to its mountainous surroundings, the village experiences darkness for three months annually, from November to February, leading to a decline in its population as residents seek sunnier locations. To address this issue, the village implemented an innovative solution in 2006: a giant mirror designed to reflect sunlight into the town square.

Initiated by then-mayor Franco Midali, the project aimed to reverse the population decline by harnessing sunlight to brighten the village during the dark winter months. Architect Giacomo Bonzani, along with engineer Gianni Ferrari, designed an eight-metre-wide, five-metre-tall mirror that tracks the sun’s path and reflects sunlight for six hours each day.

While the reflected light may not be as intense as direct sunlight, it significantly warms the town square and provides natural light to homes, making winters more bearable for residents. The mirror is operational only during the winter season and remains covered for the rest of the year.

The innovative project not only improved the living conditions in Viganella but also garnered international attention, inspiring similar initiatives globally. Multimedia artist Silvia Camporesi documented the mirror during her visit to Viganella in 2020, highlighting the project’s success.

Former mayor Franco Midali expressed the humanistic inspiration behind the project, stating, “The idea behind the project doesn’t have a scientific basis, but a human one. It comes from a desire to let people socialise in winter when the town shuts down due to the cold and the dark.”

Following Viganella’s success, other regions have adopted similar approaches. In 2013, a mirror was installed in Rjukan, Norway, inspired by the Viganella project, demonstrating the ripple effect of innovative solutions addressing local challenges.