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Serpentine in shape, beautifully balanced and gleaming like
a jewel, the Aspide Lamp by Gianfranco Frattini is both a
brilliantly practical piece of industrial design and an irresistibly
playful design statement. First developed in 1970, the Aspide
is a highly adjustable table lamp that looks like no other light
before or since, but which still expresses the material and
aesthetic tastes of its time. oks like no other light before or
since, but which still expresses the material stes of its time.
Named after the Italian word for ‘asp’, referencing its sinuous,
snake-like form, the Aspide was designed as a versatile task
lamp that can be manually adjusted to create either direct
light for work or reading, or turned toward the wall to create
a softer, ambient glow.
The body of the lamp comprises large curved tubes of iron
fitted to a specially engineered steel shaft. The shaft allows
two different parts of the lamp – the neck and the head –
to be rotated seamlessly around their own axes by as much
as 350º, with an integrated stop. This simple and intuitive
mechanism adjusts both the aesthetics and function of the
lamp, giving the user the ability to easily control the light in
their space, switching smoothly between task and accent
lighting as they wish.
A counterweight housed within the base ensures that the
lamp remains stable and will not topple over as the neck
is rotated outwards. The upper part of the lamp’s head is
fitted with small holes that distribute light upwards, making it
instantly clear whether the light is on or off, however the head
might be positioned. A coating of gleaming chrome gives
Aspide a mirror-like surface, that reflects the lamp’s own light.
This high-shine brilliance that imbues the lamp with a feeling
of preciousness as well as playfulness – in Frattini’s hands,
glamor and whimsy can coexist in a single object.
Like so many of his works, Aspide perfectly encapsulates
Frattini’s belief that an object’s aesthetic should be rooted in
a fusion of function with the materials and methods that have
gone into its construction. The Aspide Table Lamp expresses
this with eye-catching clarity, achieving a distinct personality
and a sculptural beauty with no superfluous elements. Its
distinct organic form and sculptural beauty are purely the
result of process and function – proof that purpose-driven
industrial design can produce a work of art.
A new addition to the GUBI designer roster, Gianfranco
Frattini left an indelible mark on modern Italian design over
the course of his 50-year career, bringing his passion for
materials, devotion to functional detail, and deep appreciation
of craft and construction methods to a staggeringly diverse
portfolio that included some truly ground-breaking lighting
designs. GUBI is delighted to return some of Frattini’s
landmark pieces – including the Aspide Table Lamp – to the
world’s design lovers, and to shine a light on his extraordinary
talent once again.
Aspide Table Lamp
TS Desk in Polished Steel and Black Marquina Marble
Aspide Table Lamp
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