By Athina
The 14th appointment with the Icon of the Design of the Week is dedicated to the Arco Lamp, the iconic design by the Castiglioni brothers that revolutionized the world of lighting.
Inspired by classic street lamps, it was created with the need to have a light source coming from above that was mobile and not bound to a suspended lighting system.
The lamp’s base consists of a white marble parallelepiped weighing about 65 kg with a hole.
Nothing is left to chance: the base is made of marble because, for the same weight, it is much less bulky than concrete (besides being aesthetically more pleasing), the corners are rounded to avoid bumping into them with your little finger…
The hole is designed as a trick to make it easier to transport the lamp: simply insert a broom handle, and two people can easily move it.
The arm (the actual arc) consists of three sections of stainless steel profiles with a U-shaped cross-section, which slide into each other to allow for length adjustment.
This system makes the Arco lamp modular; furthermore, the reflector can be positioned at three different heights.
The lampshade is positioned more than 2 meters above the base, so a large dining table and chairs can easily fit underneath it.
“We thought of a lamp that would project light onto the table: there were already some, but you had to walk around them. To leave space around the table, the base had to be at least two meters away. That’s how the idea of the arc came about: we wanted it made with parts already on the market, and we found that the curved steel profile worked perfectly. Then there was the problem of the counterweight: we needed a heavy mass to support it all. We thought of concrete first, but then we chose marble because, for the same weight, it allowed us to reduce the bulk and, in relation to a better finish, lower the cost.”
It is extremely versatile and practical, yet thanks to its refined and understated beauty, Arco stands out in any kind of decor, adding elegance and style to the space.
It is one of the most imitated (and plagiarized) industrial design products of all time.
The famous Flos-Semeraro lawsuit led to a change in copyright laws. Semeraro produced lamps very similar to Arco in China, selling them under the name “Fluida.” The company argued that it could copy the lamps because, by that time, the copyright for Arco had expired and become public domain.
FLOS argued instead that Arco was not just an industrial product, but a work of art. In 2007, the court recognized copyright protection for design objects, just like for works of art.
Born from the genius of a truly exceptional pair of designers (8 Golden Compasses, a Golden Compass for career achievement, and 16 mentions), Arco is not just a work of art, but a true cult object.
Appearing in countless films since the 1960s (including the unforgettable appearance in the 007 film “Diamonds Are Forever”), this lamp remains one of the most beloved and desired design pieces of all time.
By the way, we are already working on next week’s feature: if you have suggestions, ideas, or feedback… give us a shout!
