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ORBITAL
ORBITAL 1992
Ferruccio Laviani
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. This 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.
The designer 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 silk-
screened 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.
across:
drawing with indications of the colors of the
glass on Orbital, Ferruccio Laviani, 1992.
in this page:
prototype
Orbital on italian postage stamp, 2001
