The perennially fashionable (FR: indémodable) Arco Floor Lamp is probably one of the most recognizable lighting icons of all times and more than 50 fifty years after its creation continues to appear in numerous publications, on TV and in films.
In 1962, Achille Castiglioni and his brother Pier Giacomo designed the Arco Floor Lamp in order to solve a practical problem: to illuminate an entire room by one lamp without having to fix it to the ceiling. A street lamp inspired the design, demonstrating Achille Castiglioni’s motto that "design demands observation".
With the base made of Italian Carrara marble the lamp weighs in at over 64 kilos however, the brothers cleverly integrated a small hole in its design, just big enough to fit a broomstick, so it can still be easily picked up and moved around. The Arco also includes a swivel that can be used to adjust the height of the reflector and allow the user to have full control over the amount of light being spread over a room surface.
Since its creation the only change made was in the electrical system in order to conform to current norms.
This über-classic is obviously included in the MoMA's permanent design collection.
