Arco Floor Lamp

A 2.7-metre arc of stainless steel springs from a block of Carrara marble to suspend a spun-aluminium reflector over a dining table. The Castiglioni brothers' logic was ruthless: people want overhead light without ceiling fixtures, so the lamp must reach across the room. The marble base weighs 65kg — heavy enough to counterbalance the arc, with a hole drilled through it so two people can carry it with a broomstick.

The Arco made the floor lamp architectural. But its real lesson is methodological — the Castiglionis started from behaviour (how people eat, where they want light) rather than form. The marble isn't decorative. The arc isn't sculptural. Every element solves a problem. The fact that it's beautiful is a consequence, not an intention.