Pier Giacomo Castiglioni (1913 to 1968) and Achille Castiglioni (1918 to 2002) were brothers, architects and designers in Milan. With their eldest brother, Livio, they worked in a family practice, and Achille and Pier Giacomo went on to design some of the most widely recognised Italian lamps of the 1960s together. After Pier Giacomo's death, Achille continued alone and with other collaborators.
That history matters for this collection, because not every lamp here is a joint design by the two brothers:
These five lamps range from half a kilo to 65 kg, and from a lamp you plug in on a desk to one that needs a ceiling fixing. Before choosing, it helps to know what each one needs from the space.
Lampadina needs only a small surface. It is 12.5 cm across and 24 cm tall and weighs 0.5 kg. The aluminium base is also where the spare cable winds away, and the switch sits on the lamp holder. It comes in black, white, red, orange and purple. See more table lamps.
The dome lamp needs a sturdy surface. It is 46 cm across and 43 cm tall, on a marble base, and weighs 11 kg, so it is not one to move around often. It arrives with no assembly required, in black or white.
The ribbed aluminium pendant needs a ceiling point and an electrician. It is 36 cm across and 24 cm tall, in polished spun aluminium, and weighs 2 kg. Its product page advises an electrician, and its 180 cm cable is fully adjustable, so you can set the drop over a table or worktop. Compare other pendant lights.
Parentesi needs a ceiling and the floor below it. The light runs on a cable fixed between the two, and the central section slides up or down to set the height. The product page gives its length as 350 cm and says it fits a ceiling height of 3.5 m. It connects like a normal ceiling light and needs assembly, in black or white.
The arc needs the most room of all. It stands 240 cm tall and reaches 230 cm out from its base, on a three-part adjustable brushed steel arc. With its heavy marble base, the whole lamp weighs 65 kg and arrives in three boxes for full assembly. It plugs in with a UK or Euro plug, so it brings overhead light to a sofa or table with no ceiling wiring at all. Choose a black or white marble base, and see more floor lamps.
Pier Giacomo Castiglioni (1913 to 1968) and Achille Castiglioni (1918 to 2002) were brothers, architects and designers working in Milan. With their eldest brother, Livio, they began in a family practice, and Achille and Pier Giacomo designed many of their most widely recognised lamps together in the 1960s. Achille went on working for decades after his brother's death, alone and with others.
No. The marble-based arc, the dome lamp on marble and the ribbed aluminium pendant are joint designs by Achille and Pier Giacomo. Parentesi was designed by Achille in 1971 from an idea by Pio Manzù, and won a Compasso d'Oro in 1979. Lampadina, the bare-bulb lamp, is Achille's alone, from the early 1970s, after Pier Giacomo's death.
No. They are reproductions made in the style of the Castiglionis' designs, and each product page in this collection states that the item is not manufactured by or affiliated with the original designer. Each product page lists its own materials, dimensions, weight and wiring, so you can check exactly what you are buying before you order.
The arc stands 240 cm tall and reaches 230 cm out from its base, so plan for that full sweep over a sofa, chair or table. With its marble base it weighs 65 kg, arrives in three boxes and needs full assembly, so decide where it will live before you build it. It is the heaviest piece in the collection by a wide margin.
The ribbed aluminium pendant's product page advises an electrician. Parentesi connects like a normal ceiling light, so treat it the same way. The arc comes with a UK and Euro plug and needs no ceiling wiring. The dome lamp and Lampadina sit on a surface; check their product pages for the plug and cable before you order.
The product page gives Parentesi's length as 350 cm and says it fits a ceiling height of 3.5 m. The cable runs from the ceiling to the floor, and the central section slides along it to set the height of the light. Measure your floor-to-ceiling height before ordering, and check the product page's diagrams for the fixing points.
None of the five includes a bulb, so buy one separately. The arc takes one E27 bulb of up to 100 W, and Parentesi one E27 bulb of up to 60 W. Lampadina's product page lists a standard E27 LED bulb. For the dome lamp and the ribbed pendant, check the bulb fitting on each product page before buying one.
Three can. Parentesi and the ribbed aluminium pendant are listed as dimmable with the dimming device not included, and Lampadina as dimmable by an independent switch, so a compatible dimmer needs to be fitted separately in each case. The arc and dome lamp product pages do not list dimming, so do not assume it for those two.
The arc comes with a black or a white marble base. The dome lamp and Parentesi each come in black or white. Lampadina has the widest choice, in black, white, red, orange and purple. The ribbed pendant comes in polished aluminium only. Each product page shows its finishes, and lead times can differ between them.
It depends on the lamp and the finish. Some pieces and finishes are held in stock for faster dispatch, while others take longer. Each product page shows its current lead time under the Add to Cart button, and the delivery date is confirmed by email once the order is placed, with updates on its progress after that.
