When, in 1965, designers Elio Martinelli and Gae Aulenti spent sleepless nights testing a lamp with a revolutionary design capable of diffusing soft, even light, they had no idea of the worldwide success that awaited them. He, Elio Martinelli, is the head of the Italian company Martinelli Luce, already recognized in Italy as the benchmark in lighting design; she, Gae Aulenti, an architect and designer, is one of the few women to break through in the very male-dominated world of post-war Italian design, which was then in full boom. Their lamp, the Pipistrello, would become one of the icons of post-war Italian design and still continues to fascinate. A look back at why this light fixture became an iconic modern and contemporary design icon.
In the beginning was a strange and curious name: "Pipistrello", so what could it mean? Gae Aulenti (1927-2012) who is the creator of this singular light fixture gave it this name which means "bat" in Italian. The lampshade with its many curves effectively evokes the silhouette of a bat... An unusual idea for the shot!
To be fair, the unusual shape is surprising for its time, but it's part of a process: Gae Aulenti designed this light fixture to pay homage to the elegant, curved forms of Art Nouveau, which was inspired by the natural forms of flora and fauna.
Elio Martinelli (1921-2004) who became during the 50s a recognized specialist in the production of lamps with the creation of the company Martinelli Luce, also drew his creativity from nature, revealing lines and forms of surprising originality. That's why, when Gae Aulenti solicited him sketches in hand, for the realization of his lamp, Martinelli was convinced and said yes to the project.
At the time, it was uncommon for a female architect and designer to successfully convince an industrialist to have her own design manufactured. In 1965, Gae Aulenti was 38 years old and had a solid education. A graduate in architecture from the highly prestigious Milan Polytechnic (Politecnico di Milano) in 1953, where she also obtained the diploma of the profession - which was rare at the time for a woman -, she has been teaching this discipline there since 1964. She has also been on the editorial staff of Casabella, a monthly international journal of architecture, urbanism and design, for the past 10 years.
© Wikipedia
How is the Pipistrello a very innovative piece for its time? The aesthetic choice first of all. Gae Aulenti managed to combine the very geometric lines of the architecture of the American buildings of the 1930s (the basis of the lamp) with the sculptural lines of Art Nouveau. A philosophy that fits well with Martinelli's DNA: a reflection to marry organic forms with a rigorous and pure design.
A technological choice then: the lacquered metal base is adjustable in height thanks to a telescopic steel arm. Above all, Elio Martinelli, who was in constant search of new technologies and innovations, will, with Gae Aulenti, design the diffuser of the lamp in white opal methacrylate, a material known as opalescent. The goal: to project a soft and homogeneous light on a material that then takes on a "woolly" hue. Another innovation: the telescopic part and the methacrylate diffuser are made using innovative molding techniques for the time.
The Pipistrello later became an iconic piece thanks to its timeless style, so much so that some even nicknamed it "The design lover's Proust's madeleine". Indeed, it is a piece that with its elegance and modernity fits equally well in a contemporary, industrial or classic interior!
The telescopic tube that allows you to adjust its height from 66 to 86 cm also contributes to making the Pipistrello a lamp that adapts to all configurations: at once a bedside lamp, a desk lamp, a living room lamp or even placed directly on the floor to become a real piece of furniture!
© Residence Magazine
© Pom and Gus
The Italian firm Martinelli Luce is still the sole owner of the rights to the original plans for the Pipistrello. Its worldwide bestseller is still popular, as the Italian publisher has managed to evolve the model over time. For example, the Pipistrello comes in several colors such as brown, purple and agave green (in addition to white and black). The materials have also evolved: the model exists in aluminum, copper, silver and satin brass. In 2013, 2 other lighter and smaller models are proposed: the Med Pipistrello (diameter 40 cm, adjustable height between 50 and 62 cm) and the Mini Pipistrello (diameter of 27 cm, fixed height of 35 cm, weight: 2.5 kg against 10 Kg for the original model).
Pipistrello lamp in agave green, a color chosen to sublimate the room's design.
Martinelli Luce also adapted the technology of the time to its famous lamp. LEDs have replaced the bulbs and are offered in a dimmable version that allows the light intensity to be varied by simply applying your fingers. Finally, in 2019, the Italian publisher launched its "Pispistrello 4.0", a version with Tunable White Led technology, through a mobile app (in collaboration with CASAMBI). Original, timeless and elegant, the Pipistrello seems timeless, a "must-have" for all fans of vintage design!
Cover: © My Home Concept
François Boutard
