By Erik Gunnar Asplund, ASEA
Located in Utrecht, NL
“GA9” appears to be inspired by a droplet, floating upward the wall. The mouth blown glass with bubbles creates an intricate play between light and shadow, giving the appearance of light travelling through water.
Swedish architect and designer, Erik Gunnar Asplund, is celebrated as the godfather of functionalist design in Sweden. Like his celebrated Stockholm City Library, these lamps emphasize geometric simplicity and clarity of form. The construction of this model is ingenious, with a bent arm holding the glass in place, with yet another arm holding the light source in the centre of the luminaire. The black lacquered metal bends organically into sinuous forms, while the backplates have a polygon shape. Pairing the geometric elements with the more organic ones shows Asplund’s great eye for design that was well ahead of his time. The large, mushroom-like mouth blown glass shades have distinctive “drops” on their surfaces, creating a beautiful effect that becomes even more apparent when the light is on. The atmospheric light it creates is not measurable, nor is it functional in the traditional sense. It is easily forgotten, but nevertheless important when creating a space of wellbeing. It is the most basic and fundamental of all lighting principles, one that has been with us since the dawn of time. Asplund’s life and work served as inspiration to a number of Scandinavian design luminaries, such as lifelong friend and mentee Alvar Aalto, as well as Erik Bryggman...
Category
1940s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Erik Gunnar Asplund
