Back to the 90s: Ferruccio Laviani Lamp Is In Again

In 1992, designer Ferruccio Laviani created the Orbital standing lamp for the Italian manufacturer Foscarini. A year later, the second style, known as Bit, followed. Orbital is a light object that takes its place among the décor with the power of a sculpture. It is a true icon of lighting design. In principle, it consists of three parts: an adjustable, three-legged stand of laser-cut sheet metal supports a lacquered metal pole from which five arms emerge, each of which holds a diffusor of screenprinted industrial glass. Each glass plate has its own irregular shape, which creates graphic impact, particularly with the white version of the lamp. When the lamp is switched off, the coloured diffusors in red, blue, green, yellow and white call to mind a surrealist painting. When the lamp is on, the play of light resembles a mosaic. The diffusors are matte on the outside surface; this softens the colours and draws attention to the shapes. The inside is glossy to reflect the light. With the wall-mounted version, Orbital Bit, the individual pieces of the standing lamp become a wall installation. What both designs have in common is that they bathe the room in soft, ambient light – and that they are still just as current as they were when they were first created.