Parentesi lamp reissue 1971 - Flos

Parentesi Lamp - Special Turquoise Edition: A Luminous Tribute

The Parentesi lamp is a historic model by Flos, created in 1971 by two legends of Italian design, Achille Castiglioni (1918 - 2002) and Pio Manzù (1939 - 1969). Revolutionary for its time, this mobile lamp was honored with the Compasso d'Oro upon its release in 1979. It is today part of the permanent collections of MoMA in New York and the Triennale Design Museum in Milan.

The story of Parentesi is fascinating. It was originally designed by Italian designer Pio Manzù, a versatile talent who excelled in the design of objects, automobiles and architecture. He is particularly known for the creation of the Fiat 127, a successful car in Europe and South America. Tragically, Pio Manzù died in a road accident in 1969 at the age of thirty, leaving behind a promising career.

Learn more about the designer

Achille Castiglioni, although he never met Pio Manzù, discovered the drawings of the Parentesi: a luminous cylinder in grooved tin, placed on a metal rod which extends from floor to ceiling. He decided to rework the project with Flos, taking care to preserve the simplicity and functionality dear to Pio Manzù. The metal rod was replaced by a metal wire, held to the ground by a weight of 5 kg. The bulb holder is flexible, allowing 360 degree rotation. Originally, it was imagined in black.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Parentesi, Flos has created a special edition of the lamp in two colors inspired by Pio Manzù's prototypes: turquoise and orange.

Learn more about the brand

Flos is an Italian publishing house, created in 1962 by Dino Gavina, an Italian entrepreneur determined to instill a new culture of interior design in this country steeped in design.

From the start, Flos created striking and iconic lighting fixtures, which have today become classics of Italian industrial design. Among these first lighting fixtures, we can cite: Arco, Relemme, Toio and Taccia, all signed Achille and Piergiacomo Castiglioni. The exceptional design and excellent manufacturing of these objects make them timeless.

Technical characteristics

• Brand: Flos
• Designers: Achille Castiglioni, Pio Manzù
• Variation: Turquoise - White - Red - Nickel - Orange
• Product type: Floor lamp
• Colors: Elbow tube, ceiling rosette and floor counterweight in turquoise, black electrical socket & cable, steel wire
• Materials: Elbow tube, ceiling mounting rosette & floor counterweight in painted steel, injection-molded black elastomer spotlight, steel wire
• Dimensions: Elbow tube (spot support): Length 58 cm, Length of the metal wire adjustable up to 400 cm, Electric cable: 400 cm from the socket, Base: Diameter 11 cm
• Weight: 3.6 kg

If you are looking for other portable lamps, also discover the Quasar lamp from Petite Friture