Designer Tapio Wirkkala’s Pendant Lamp in New Form

Published on : Saturday, July 4, 2015

The designer and sculptor Tapio Wirkkala (1915–1985) was a leading figure of the post-war design movement in Finland.

His work included such diverse items as glassware, jewellery, sculpture, furniture, and encompassed everyday objects such as stoves, fridges, electric switches and even banknotes.

For this Pendant Light, Tapio Wirkkala had designed a series of striking glass shades. Coinciding with Wirkkala’s 100th anniversary, reintroduces one of the most emblematic shades, which goes by the name K2-140.

Wirkkala’s pendant light TW003 and the diamond-shaped WIR light bulb represented a new direction for technical components in light fittings.

In 1960 Wirkkala won awards at the Milan Triennale for this light bulb. In 2013 Artek reintroduced the pendant light and developed a contemporary LED version of the spectacular light source. This coloured, transparent glass shades were created to form an elegant frame for the WIR light source, the geometric shape of the glass allows for the characteristic shape of the bulb to remain visible. The coloured glass, offered in the hues anthracite, amber and smoked blue, creates a soft and atmospheric light.

The TW003 Pendant Lamp will be available in store from October 2015.