Lighting has the ability to make or break an otherwise perfectly appointed room; when it comes to settling on the best fixtures it's not only illumination that needs to be considered; the room's mood, design, and overall aesthetic must also be taken into account. One lighting fixture which you can rarely go wrong with, however, is the Arco floor lamp, which was designed by brothers Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for FLOS in 1962, and is testament to the strength of post-war Italian design.
A staple for any modern interior, the Arco lamp revolutionised lighting with its nearly 79-inch-long telescoping arm. Thanks to its generous reach, the lamp provided directional overhead lighting without the need of a ceiling fixture or permanent overhead mounting. It’s useful throughout the house; the Arco floor lamp is equally at home next to a Le Corbusier lounger or perched above a Saarinen tulip table. Knowing this lamp would need to be moved on occasion the designers incorporated a hole into the solid marble base. By passing a broom handle through this hole, it becomes possible for two people to easily move the 78-pound lamp.
1601 Decorating Ideas for Modern Living, 1975Photograph by Gerd Hatje/Peter Kaspar
With such a flexibility of use, the Arco is one of the most photographed and recognisable lighting fixtures of the last 50 years, and this week we’ve put our chrome friend where it belongs – in the spotlight.
