Founder Sauli Koukkari came from a background in industrial electronics and demanding process industries, where reliability, serviceability and long product lifecycles were everyday requirements. As LED technology began transforming the lighting industry, he became interested in the possibilities of light itself: how it could be shaped, directed and used in new ways.

Päivi Charpentier joined AICCI in 2016.

Originally trained as an interior architect, Päivi became increasingly fascinated by the role of light in architecture and spatial experience. Over time, lighting grew from one aspect of design into a field of its own. Through professional work and continued studies, her focus expanded to lighting design, luminaire design and place-based lighting, with a particular interest in how light and darkness shape our experience of places.

Sauli and Päivi first met during a trip organised by the Illuminating Engineering Society of Finland in 2015.

What connected them was not only an interest in lighting, but a shared way of thinking. Both believed that light should do more than help us see. It should support wellbeing, reveal the character of a place and make everyday environments more meaningful.

They also shared a belief that products should be designed responsibly and used for a long time. Long before circular economy became a widely discussed topic, conversations at AICCI centred around serviceability, repairability and designing products that could remain useful for decades.

Over the years, AICCI has become a meeting point for many different fields of expertise.

Every successful project is shaped through collaboration between architects, landscape architects, lighting designers, clients, contractors, manufacturers and many other professionals. We value these partnerships because the best solutions rarely emerge from a single perspective.

Today, we continue to learn from every project, every place and every collaboration.

What drives us remains unchanged: a curiosity about light, a respect for people and places, and a desire to create solutions that are both meaningful and lasting.

Because before shaping light, we need to see.

AICCI. Light shaped for purpose.