A new version of Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni’s iconic Taccia table lamp, produced by FLOS, is launching this September, and it’s the first edition that’s faithful to the original 1958 design and prototype: The bowl of the Taccia LED 2016 will be made of plastic.
The Castiglioni brothers conceptualized the lamp with a plastic bowl and reflector, but the heat emitted by the incandescent light bulb deformed the bowl. In order to make the design work, they needed to switch to an aluminum reflector and a glass bowl. The final design was completed in 1962 and the first Taccia lamp was released.
In 2010, FLOS started experimenting with using an LED light source for the Taccia lamp, finding that the new technology worked well because it emits less heat. The company produced a new lamp with the LED light source and glass bowl, and also developed a more heat-resistant plastic.
During a lecture in 1986 at Florence University, Achille Castiglioni said of the lamp’s background: “This is a very interesting lamp because of its history, and some people today say that it is a postmodern design. This is very funny. It was made in 1962, and my brother and I had not the slightest intention of making a postmodern lamp.”
The new lamp will be available in black and anodized silver finishes, starting in September.
