Josh Owen, Vignelli distinguished professor of design and director of the Vignelli Center for Design Studies at RIT, shares his admiration for one of the most enduring designs in the world of lighting. Reflecting on the Parentesi lamp created by Achille Castiglioni and Pio Manzu for Flos in 1971, Josh highlights its unique combination of form and function.
“The Parentesi lamp has been in continuous production ever since its creation,” he says. “According to Flos, Parentesi was named after the parenthesis symbol. One can see this visual reference in the form language of the bent tube that allows the lamp element to slide up and down the fixture’s installation cable.”
Parentesi’s head component contains a switch and a pivot that moves with friction to allow for customization of the light source. Together with the up-and-down movement, the lamp is completely omni-directional. “For me, this is one of the most iconic and flexible lighting fixtures available,” Josh says. “I have two of them in my home and I make regular visits to Castiglioni’s foundation each year during Milan Design Week to share the designer’s genius with students, colleagues, and friends. Parentesi has a timeless appeal because of its thoughtful utility and elegant restraint, privileging function instead of fashion.”
A version of this article originally appeared in “Curator’s Icons” in Sixtysix Issue 13.
