Since its creation in 1965, the Pipistrello lamp by Italian architect and designer Gae Aulenti has become much more than just a light fixture: it is a symbol of modern design history and a sought-after piece in interiors around the world. Combining technical innovation, sculptural sensibility, and organic expression, it embodies the inventive spirit of post-war Italy and continues to illuminate spaces as a timeless object.
1965: a commission for Olivetti and a lamp that “makes architecture”
In the 1960s, Italy was at the center of a veritable creative revolution. After the severe rationalism of the post-war period, a generation of designers sought to explore more expressive and sensitive forms. Gae Aulenti was fully in line with this trend.
From her earliest sketches, Aulenti wanted this lamp to evoke the fluidity and movement of nature: a living object rather than a simple functional device. It is not a random shape, but an organic design inspired by the observation of natural forms, a way of combining art, nature, and technology in a single object.
The Pipistrello was created in 1965 by Gae Aulenti in a very specific context: the design of Olivetti showrooms, particularly in Paris (and also in Buenos Aires, according to the publisher). The idea was not to place “a pretty lamp” in a corner, but to create an object capable of participating in the space: present, sculptural, and yet useful in everyday life.
From the outset, the Pipistrello blurred categories: neither really a table lamp nor quite a floor lamp, its height varies and it can be placed on the floor or on a piece of furniture. Le Mag du Monde sums up this uniqueness very well: it “flutters” from one place to another, changing its role depending on the room and its use.
Click here to read the full article on Luxus Magazine
Featured photo: © Martinelli Luce
