Parentesi

Stripped to its essential elements, the lamp consists of a steel cable stretched from ceiling to floor, along which a cylindrical lamp head can be freely adjusted in height and angle. This ingenious mechanism transforms Parenthesi into a highly adaptable lighting solution, equally suited for reading, working, or creating ambient illumination. Its name, meaning “parenthesis” in Italian, reflects the distinctive curved tube that clamps the cable and guides the light source, appearing as if suspended in midair.

By eliminating the traditional stand or base, Castiglioni and Manzù redefined the concept of a floor lamp, reducing it to a minimal, almost architectural gesture. The result is a lamp that is as sculptural as it is practical, seamlessly blending into both modern and eclectic interiors. Available in different finishes, Parenthesi embodies the timeless ingenuity of Italian design—a perfect fusion of utility, simplicity, and artistic vision.

Designer Pio Manzù, whose work included the Fiat 127, died two years before the Parentesi came to be. Castiglioni transformed his drawings into the lamp we know today, sharing credit as a tribute to original thinking and design innovation.