Orbital was Ferruccio Laviani's debut lamp. It marked Foscarini's first adoption of production materials other than Murano glass; but above all it constituted a long-standing icon which reinforced the company's image, particularly in the media.
The Orbital floor lamp was a lamp-object which represented a different idea of a light fixture, free from the requirements of technical performance to emphasize the evocative and emotional qualities of the product.
A piece of sculpture, therefore, boasting a recognizable presence in space and characterized by the graphic sign which inspires the design of the glass panels.
Laviani in fact concentrated on the shape of the floor lamp and the relationship it creates with the surrounding environment, designing a lit object rather than a lighting device.
"Finding the precise references that inspired the design of Orbital is not easy", says Laviani, "there were probably many different principles. Perhaps the peculiarity of this project is that it was created from a sketch which never changed right through to the production of the lamp, and as far as I can remember, I think this is the only time that has ever happened to me."
The fixture is made of a metal stem, coated with aluminum epoxydic powder paint, and supported by an adjustable tripod in laser-cut sheet metal, on which the five supports for the glass shades are soldered.
The incandescent bulbs (40 watts each) are completely visible, becoming an integral part of the lamp's design. The glass shades cut in different shapes, which initially were to be reminiscent of stained glass cathedral windows, were made out of industrial glass silkscreened in white or different colors, and satin finished on the outer surface. The polished inside surface allowed the shade to reflect light as well.
By separating the arms of Orbital, the modular wall version called Bit was created in 1993. Orbital is one of the objects consecrated by a series of postage stamps on Italian Design emitted by the Italian Post Office in 2001. The tenth anniversary was celebrated with a special edition of the lamp featuring mirrored plate glass and polished chrome-finish metal structure and supports.
To view Foscarini Orbital Floor Lamp, visit ContemporaryLightingDecor.com
The Orbital floor lamp was a lamp-object which represented a different idea of a light fixture, free from the requirements of technical performance to emphasize the evocative and emotional qualities of the product.
A piece of sculpture, therefore, boasting a recognizable presence in space and characterized by the graphic sign which inspires the design of the glass panels.
Laviani in fact concentrated on the shape of the floor lamp and the relationship it creates with the surrounding environment, designing a lit object rather than a lighting device.
"Finding the precise references that inspired the design of Orbital is not easy", says Laviani, "there were probably many different principles. Perhaps the peculiarity of this project is that it was created from a sketch which never changed right through to the production of the lamp, and as far as I can remember, I think this is the only time that has ever happened to me."
The fixture is made of a metal stem, coated with aluminum epoxydic powder paint, and supported by an adjustable tripod in laser-cut sheet metal, on which the five supports for the glass shades are soldered.
The incandescent bulbs (40 watts each) are completely visible, becoming an integral part of the lamp's design. The glass shades cut in different shapes, which initially were to be reminiscent of stained glass cathedral windows, were made out of industrial glass silkscreened in white or different colors, and satin finished on the outer surface. The polished inside surface allowed the shade to reflect light as well.
By separating the arms of Orbital, the modular wall version called Bit was created in 1993. Orbital is one of the objects consecrated by a series of postage stamps on Italian Design emitted by the Italian Post Office in 2001. The tenth anniversary was celebrated with a special edition of the lamp featuring mirrored plate glass and polished chrome-finish metal structure and supports.
To view Foscarini Orbital Floor Lamp, visit ContemporaryLightingDecor.com
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