Oluce Atollo Table Lamp - 1977 Design: Vico Magistretti, Model 233, Italy
Sketch and technical drawing
Interview with Vico Magistretti in Italian – Magistretti e l’Italian Design
Early Oluce Atollo Table Lamps – Model 233
New Oluce Atollo Table Lamps
Lamps in the movies!
Salamander (TV Series 2012–2018)
An Oluce Atollo table lamp was used as a prop in Salamander. A Belgian drama television series that was first broadcast on Eén on December 30, 2012. Also broadcast on the BBC, RTBF and Netflix.
The Legend of Red Hand (2018)
An Oluce Atollo table lamp was used as a prop in The Legend of Red Hand from 2018. A short film by Campari, directed by Stefano Sollima. Starring Zoe Saldana and Adriano Giannini.
1899 (2022)
An Oluce Atollo table lamp was used as a prop in the 2022 multilingual German epic period mystery-science fiction streaming TV series 1899. Here in season 1, episode 7. Starring Emily Beecham, Aneurin Barnard and Andreas Pietschmann.
Links (external links open in a new window)
Vico Magistretti on the Oluce website
Wikipedia about Vico Magistretti
Interview with Vico Magistretti on Designboom
Article in The Guardian about Vico Magistretti
The Atollo table lamp at the MoMA Museum New York
Salamander (TV series) – Wikipedia
Salamander on Eén (TV station)
Roman J. Israel, Esq. – Wikipedia
The November Man (2014) Film – Wikipedia
The November Man (2014) Film – IMDb
Campari Red Diaries – Campari website
1899 (2022) TV series – Wikipedia
Vintageinfo
Vico Magistretti lamps
Oluce Atollo Table Lamp
Materials: Maroon metallic painted round aluminium base with a conical top. White painted metal rod on top of the base to support the lampshade, made to obtain a floating effect. Maroon metallic aluminium half round mushroom lampshade, painted white on the inside. 2 Bakelite E27 sockets.
Height: 70 cm / 27.55”
Width: ∅ 50 cm / 19.68”
Base: ∅ 20 cm / 7.87”
Electricity: 2 bulbs E27, 2 x 100 watt maximum, 110/220 volt.
Any type of light bulb with an E27 screw base can be used. Not a specific one preferred.
Period: 1970s – Mid-Century Modern.
Designer: Vico Magistretti (October 6, 1920 – September 19, 2006)
Manufacturer: Oluce, Via Brescia, 2, 20097, San Donato Milan, Italy.
Other versions: The Oluce Atollo table lamp was made in several sizes and materials over the years. Recent and new versions are also made in white opal crystal hand blown Murano glass. The lampshade is similar to the shade of the Sonora pendant lamp, designed a year earlier in 1976.
This Oluce Atollo table lamp is an original 1st edition from 1977, model 233. It is equipped with the original tubular dimmer with the red round button. Later versions of the 80s have an orange rectangular one. This table lamp is completely made of aluminium with a white painted brass rod.
Oluce Atollo table lamp
This is perhaps Vico Magistretti’s most famous lamp. It most effectively sums up his design approach to this kind of object.
The Oluce Atollo table lamp is composed of two main parts. Firstly, the pattern of simple geometric figures. It seems to translate the old-fashioned lampshade into a small abstract structure. Thanks to its perfectly balanced overall proportions.
The interplay of the light, which is concealed beneath the cap, leaves the latter in the shade on the outside. While it lights up brightly both the inside and upper conical element of the base from which the vertical cylinder emerges.
This creates both direct and indirect light. Which reflects around the surroundings with various degrees of intensity. The bearing structure and cap are connected by a very thin attachment. It makes the cap look almost as if it is suspended in the air.
Described in 1000 Lights Taschen 2005 Vol.2, page 282-283.
“The extremely pleasant lighting enhances and is enhanced by the simple geometric form of the overall construction. It has no unnecessary frills or features. This characterises most of Vico Magistretti’s lamps. Elegant proportions and stylistic composure make them perfect “domestic characters”.”
Taken from: “Vico Magistretti architetto e designer” written by Irace Fulvio, Pasca Vanni, (1999), Milano, Mondadori Electa.
For many years, Magistretti was art director and chief designer of the Oluce company. Conferring his unmistakable stamp and a legacy of worldwide recognition. Kuta, Lester. Nara, Idomeneo, Pascal. Dim, Sonora. Snow, and especially Atollo – all became names that instantly called to mind the corresponding product. Atollo even became a sort of template. A graphic silhouette that immediately rendered the concept of a “lamp”.
Artemide – FontanaArte
Vico Magistretti designed many lamps and items for Artemide. You can find them here in the catalogues. The Dalù table lamp. The Eclisse table lamp. The Mezzachimera table lamp. To name a few. He also designed several lamps for FontanaArte. You can also find them here in the catalogues.
Vico Magistretti Foundation
Via Conservatorio, 20, 20122 Milano, Italy
Visit the studio museum and discover more about Vico Magistretti work as designer and architect. The studio museum is open on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. More info on the website of the museum. http://www.vicomagistretti.it/en/museum/practical
For many years now, Atollo has no longer been a lamp, or rather, it has no longer been just a lamp. It has become a myth, an icon. One of the best know symbols of Italian design worldwide. One of the very few products which people recognize and call with its own name.
“Designed by Vico Magistretti in 1977, it was awarded the Compasso d’Oro in 1979. It became, since then, part of the permanent collections of the world’s major museum of design. As well as part of the furniture of many homes of those who love and are able to select the things surrounding them.
Atollo’s secret probably lies in the geometrical construction of its shapes: the cone on the cylinder and the semi-sphere above all. A luminous sculpture from which nothing can be removed to which nothing can be added. And which nothing can copy.”
Marco Romanelli
Oluce – O-Luce
The Oluce company was founded in 1945 by Giuseppe Ostuni. It is the oldest Italian design company in the illumination sector still in operation today. The company received numerous awards over the years.
Designers that worked for the company, are among others: Angelo Ostuni, Achille, Livio and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Franco Buzzi, Joe and Gianni Colombo, Marco Zanuso, Tito Agnoli, Angeletti & Ruzza, Antonia Astori & Nicola De Ponti, Bruno Gecchelin, Stefano Casciani, Francesco Rota, Victor Vasilev, Ferdi Giardini, Vico Magistretti and many others.
The complete history of Oluce can be found on their website.
Drawing taken from the Dutch 1982 book: Chriet Titulaer – Computers. Wat moet je er mee? (Computers. What should you do with it?) – The office of the future has a computer on every desk (in the year 2000).
Lamps in the movies!
Roman J. Israel, Esq (2017)
An Oluce Atollo table lamp was used as a prop in the 2017 legal drama film Roman J. Israel, Esq. A movie written and directed by Dan Gilroy. Starring Denzel Washington, Colin Farrell, and Carmen Ejogo.
The November Man (2014)
An Oluce Atollo table lamp was used as a prop in the 2014 action thriller film The November Man. Starring Pierce Brosnan, Luke Bracey and Olga Kurylenko.
The International (2009)
An Oluce Atollo table lamp was used as a prop in the 2009 political thriller film The International. Starring Clive Owen and Naomi Watts.
Auping Commercial (2019)
An Oluce Atollo table lamp together with a Panthella floor and table lamp were used in Belgium and The Netherlands for an Auping publicity on their website in 2019.
