Pipistrello
from revolutionary lamp
to design icon.
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Pipistrello is a lamp that has become renowned for its ability to combine uniqueness and innovation, for its design that transcends trends and has made it a timeless object, a dream for many.
Pipistrello assumes the position that the user decides to assign to it to meet his or her demands. In the bedroom, the living room, the dining room, the office, or a public space.
The design is irreverent for its time, curves take the place of rigour, dynamism creates new balances, connection with the object builds a bond with it. Pipistrello breaks with the rationalism of the 1960s, the features of discontinuity added by architect Gae Aulenti into Pipistrello make it a lamp that conveys a different and unexpected modernism.
The solid cone, lamp base, and knob that secures the head to the telescoping stem are all made of painted metal. The diffuser is white opal methacrylate, and the telescope is brushed stainless steel. The light is warm and soft, and it can be concentrated or diffused by adjusting the telescope's height.
Gae Aulenti (1927-2012) was one of the first female Italian architects and designers to make an international name for herself. Her name became well-known as a result of her work with Olivetti, for whom she developed showrooms in Paris and Buenos Aires, shops with architecture that defines a continuous area with a variety of levels Pipistrello was designed specifically for these areas, with the goal of enhancing the strong visual appeal of the shop windows.
Under his perennial focus on the context in which the works were to be created, other projects included the design of the FIAT showrooms, the fitting out of the Musée d'Orsay in Paris and the National Museum of Modern Art at the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, the National Museum of Catalan Art in Barcelona, the renovation of the former papal stables in Rome, and the Italian Cultural Institute in Tokyo. Gae also has theatre collaborations, such as one with director Ronconi, and has created set designs for La Scala in Milan and the Odéon Theatre in Paris.
She was made a Knight of the Legion of Honour by François Mitterrand in 1987.
Pipistrello was founded in 1965 by the Italian architect and designer Gae Aulenti, whose works and design objects can be found all over the world.
The lamp was created to meet a specific need: to illuminate some of Gae's designs for Olivetti stores in Paris and Buenos Aires. The original designs of the Pipistrello lamp were created with this necessity in mind, a lamp that not only had to be there, but also actively participate in the surroundings.
The genius of the idea, however, collided with the technology of the moment, which was not yet mature enough for that futuristic undertaking. The telescoping stem and intricate shape of the diffuser offered challenges that could only be overcome by meeting the visionary Elio Martinelli, the forefather of methacrylate moulding. Following countless attempts, experiments, and technological research, the founder of Martinelli Luce discovered a technique to engineer this rebellious lamp. And in 1967, Pipistrello hit the market, ready to pique the interest of many.
Cult object chosen by architects, interior designers and those who love its timeless exceptionality
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Equipped with four LED bulbs, 66cm high it is a table and conversation lamp while it becomes a floor or reading lamp when extended to 86cm. The variant is with integrated dimmable LED.
A new sensory experience: thanks to the control of intensity and colour temperature (from 2500 to 6700K), the light modulates, customising the ambience to suit your emotions. Thanks to the app (both Apple and Android) you can easily switch from a relaxing atmosphere to a dynamic ambience.
The telescopic range goes from 50 to 62cm, the light source is an integrated dimmable LED for an interpretation of room lighting that reflects the feeling of the moment.
Minipipistrello is a concentrate of elegance. It features a fixed height of 35 cm to accommodate individuals who prefer a more intimate setting. Not only is it appropriate for small places, such as a bedroom, but it is also ideal for creating an evocative but subtle mood at an event by including numerous elements. An integrated dimmable LED serves as the light source.
With a fixed height of 35cm, Minipipistrello guarantees flexibility of use. The touch sensor on the lamp body also allows dimming. The battery is rechargeable and lasts approximately 6 hours.
A tribute to this icon's 50th anniversary, dressed in 24k gold (4 μm), offered in a limited and numbered series of only 50 pieces. Dedicated to design and exclusivity enthusiasts.
The Pipistrello family is available in purple red, glossy black, agave green, titanium, satin brass, glossy copper, and gold, in addition to the more classic and elegant dark brown and white originals.
An intriguing furnishing element that still amazes with its versatility
Pipistrello is the lamp that goes beyond the sum of its parts: it is the symbol of a lifestyle, of a way of being, of a story of passion and creativity capable of creating a connection between the user and the object.
Pipistrello can be found in the world's most important collections and museums, from the MOMA to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to the Museum des Arts Decoratives in Montreal, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the design collection of the Milan Triennale and many others.
But above all, it can be found in the homes of all those who want to acquire a piece that encapsulates history and values.
