It was a humble street light that inspired Achille Castiglioni (1918–2002) and his brother Pier Giacomo Castiglioni (1913–68) to design their Arco lamp. The two men, along with their eldest brother, Livio, were the sons of prominent Milanese sculptor Giannino Castiglioni, and all became trained architects. Achille graduated from the acclaimed Polytechnic University of Milan in 1944 and joined Pier Giacomo and Livio in the design studio they'd opened with Luigi Caccia Dominioni. With large architectural assignments hard to come by, the Castiglionis focused on small-scale projects. At the core of their design philosophy was problem-solving, creating objects that fulfilled consumer needs. Their motto was: “Start from scratch, stick to common sense, know your goals and means.”
With functionality a primary concern, the Castiglionis produced pieces inspired by the “readymades” of artist Marcel Duchamp. The Arco lamp was born out of a desire to create a fixture that illuminated like pendant lighting but didn’t require drilling into the ceiling and that could be moved as its owner’s interior evolved.
The initial Arco lamp, designed in 1962, had a marble base (weighing 110 pounds), a chrome ball shade and a long curved steel arm that enabled light to be projected from nearly eight feet up, as if from a chandelier hung overhead. In another ingenious touch, the Castiglionis drilled a hole in the marble base through which a broomstick could be guided to serve as a handle so that two people could move it.
The same practicality is evident in the other famed lighting pieces — including the Snoopy and Taccia table lamps — that Achille and Pier Giacomo designed for FLOS. The brothers began their relationship with the Italian lighting company in 1960, and it continues to make their signature pieces today.
Limited edition floor lamp Arco by Achille Pier Giacomo Castiglioni Flos, 1962
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos
Located in MIlano, IT
Limited edition floor lamp Arco by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, 2002 Floor lamp model Arco, limited edition, with direct light. The aluminum diffuser is a dome, adj...
Marble, Aluminum, Steel
Vintage Pier Giacomo Achille Castiglioni - Flos 'Arco' Marble & Steel Floor Lamp
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos, Achille Castiglioni
Located in Philadelphia, PA
The Carrera marble base has very slight, barely noticeable yellowing. Telescoping arm shows signs of light oxidation, but operates well. The polished and coated/sealed aluminum shade shows light scuffs and scratches. Wiring is original. Lamp works as it should. In very good shape for being ~70 years old. This lamp is not signed. I'm guessing the manufacturer's sticker label dried out and fell off. Typically, the labels were adhered to the ceramic bulb socket, which would heat up and dry out the glue. Also notice the small hole perforated diffuser, on which the polished aluminum shade rests and pivots, is unusual. Many lamps have the larger holes found on the more recently made examples. The small holes diffuser is found on the vintage Flos Arco...
Carrara Marble, Steel
Italian mid-century modern Floor lamp Arco by Castiglioni brothers Flos, 1960s
By Achille Castiglioni, Flos, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian mid-century modern iconic floor lamp Arco by Achille and Piergiacomo Castiglioni for Flos, 1960s Floor lamp mod. Arco wit direct light, with adjustable and height-adjustable ...
Marble, Metal, Steel
Large Mid-Century Cocoon Pendant Lamp by Castiglioni for Hille, Italy, 60s
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Achille Castiglioni
Located in Lucija, SI
Stunning Large Mid Century round Cocoon Pendant Lamp Designed by Achille Castiglioni and produced by Hille in Italy in the 60s
Metal
Flos Arco Floor Lamp with Marble Base by Achille Castiglioni
By Achille Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Basildon, London
The Flos Arco Floor Lamp is a timeless piece of lighting design. Designed by Achille Castiglioni, this iconic lamp features a sleek, curved arm and a sturdy ...
Marble, Aluminum
$3,600
Arco Floor Lamp c. 1962
By Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Achille Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Napa, CA
Design Achille & Pierre Giacomo Castiglioni, 1962 Aluminum, Marble, Stainless steel Made in Italy by Flos The Flos Arco Floor Lamp, designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni...
Marble, Aluminum
Arco model lamp, A&PG Castiglioni for Flos 1962
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Milano, MI
Famous Arco floor lamp designed by Castiglioni in 62' for Flos. Carrara marble base with chamfered corners, satin-finished steel telescopic stem, and swiveling reflector made of pres...
Marble, Aluminum, Steel
Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni Marble and Steel Arco Lamp for FLOS, 1967
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos, Achille Castiglioni
Located in Vicenza, IT
Arco lamp designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni in 1962 and manufactured by the Italian brand FLOS in 1967. Excellent vintage condition. From the outside, it looks like ...
Carrara Marble, Steel
Velella wall sconces designed by Castiglioni brothers for Flos 1967
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Arezzo, Italy
Wall or ceiling lamps velella mod. designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, 1967. White opaline glass shade, painted metal stand, first production in excellent co...
Sheet Metal
first edition Gatto table lamp by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Vigevano, PV
ACHILLE AND PIER GIACOMO CASTIGLIONI A 'Gatto' table lamp for FLOS, 1962. Plastic polymer sprayed onto an iron frame. Height 31 cm. Literature: Ottagono 5 (April 1967), p. 99 Sergio...
Steel
$1,474Sale Price|15% Off
H 19.1 in Dm 14.7 in
FLOS Taccia Small Table Lamp in Black by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Castiglioni brothers often created designs that challenged our perspective, and the Taccia, which gives the illusion of an upside-down hanging lamp, is an inspired example of tha...
Aluminum
Mid-Century Round Cocoon Pendant Lamp, 1960s, Italy
By Achille Castiglioni
Located in Hagenbach, DE
This is a cocoon hanging lamp crafted in Italy during the 1960s, showcasing the elegance and innovation of mid-century Italian design. The lamp features a strikingly beautiful round ...
Resin
$1,963Sale Price / item|15% Off
H 76.77 in W 6.69 in D 6.69 in
FLOS Toio Floor Lamp in Red by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Its designers named it for the English word for “toy,” for good reason: This inventive lamp inspires the imagination, blending an industrial style with a timeless and whimsical desig...
Stainless Steel
Floor, Table Lamp Noce T by Achille Castiflioni for Flos
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni
Located in Padova, IT
Iconic floor side lamp Noce T designed by Achille Castiglioni and produced by Flos 1970s. It owes its name to the rounded shape that suggests a half walnut. T...
Aluminum
$6,456
H 20.08 in Dm 25.99 in
Mid-Century Beige Taraxacum Cocoon Pendant by Castiglioni for Flos, Italy 1960s
By Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Roma, IT
Spectacular vintage mid-century "Taraxacum" cocoon pendant. This charming and incredibly rare chandelier was designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni and produced by Flos in ...
Metal, Steel
$1,320
H 10.44 in W 15.75 in D 15.75 in
Mid-Century Modern Pendant Lamp by Achille Castiglioni, Italy, 1960s
By Achille Castiglioni
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid-Century Modern Pendant Lamp by Achille Castiglioni, Italy, 1960s.
Resin
Cocoon lamp attr. to Achille & Giacomo Castiglioni, 60s
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Kiel, SH
Large cocoon lamp in the shape of the famous Taraxacum lamp by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castilglioni
Metal
1960s Achille Castiglioni & Pier Giacomo 'Light Ball' Table Lamp
By Achille Castiglioni, Flos, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Glendale, CA
1960s Achille Castiglioni & Pier Giacomo 'Light Ball' Table Lamp. Originially designed in 1965 as a wall lamp, this rare table lamp variant is executed in attractively patinated bras...
Brass
$1,564Sale Price / item|15% Off
H 14.52 in W 15.51 in D 15.51 in
FLOS Snoopy Table Lamp in Black by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The playful personas of the Castiglioni brothers are evident in their Snoopy design, named for the beloved cartoon character and featuring a distinctive, light-hearted shape. The ori...
Marble, Steel
$1,474Sale Price / item|15% Off
H 19.1 in W 15 in D 15 in
FLOS Taccia Small Table Lamp in Bronze by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
By Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Castiglioni brothers often created designs that challenged our perspective, and the Taccia, which gives the illusion of an upside-down hanging lamp, is an inspired example of tha...
Aluminum
$1,564Sale Price / item|15% Off
H 14.52 in W 15.51 in D 15.51 in
FLOS Snoopy Table Lamp in Green by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The masterful table lamp by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni gets a dazzling makeover. Collectors now have a new reason to cherish the Snoopy table lamp by Achille and Pier Gi...
Marble, Steel
Cocoon Pendant Lamp, Achille & Pier Giancome Castiglioni '60
By Achille Castiglioni
Located in Antwerp, BE
Vintage Cocoon pendant lamp designed by Achille & Pier Giancome Castiglioni 1960s. Very nice subtile resin pendant lamp. White powder coated metal s...
Resin
Flos Arco Lamp with Chrome Shade
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos
Located in Alhambra, CA
Originally designed in 1962, Arco lamp by FLOS. Reflective chrome shade, solid marble base, and brushed steel frame. Iconic Italian mid-century design. Small imperfections on shade, ...
Marble, Stainless Steel, Chrome
Flos Arco K UL
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos, Achille Castiglioni
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Flos celebrates the sixtieth anniversary of the legendary Arco floor lamp with a limited edition exclusively available online. Designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni in 196...
Crystal, Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Sold
H 20.08 in Dm 18.9 in
Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos "Taccia" Table Lamp first edition
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos, Achille Castiglioni
Located in Vigevano, PV
rare first edition of this iconic table lamp model "Taccia" designed by Italian architects Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni flos production 1962
Aluminum, Steel
Arco Lamp by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, 1962
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Ozzano Dell'emilia, IT
Arco lamp by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, one of the first pieces produced at the beginning of the 60s. Base in white marble. Adjustable stem in stainless steel. Adjustable re...
Marble, Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Tobia Scarpa Biagio - Carrara marble Table Lamp
By Flos, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Brussels, BE
A masterpiece of sculptural design, the Biagio Table Lamp by Tobia Scarpa is an icon of modernist lighting. Carved from a single block of exquisite Carrara marble, this lamp embodies...
Carrara Marble
Sold
H 25.6 in Dm 19.69 in
Iconic "Taccia" Table Lamp by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos, 1960s
By Flos, Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Brescia, Brescia
An iconic piece of Italian design, this Taccia table lamp by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos is from an untouched 1980s stock. It has been gently displayed only in a sh...
Metal, Aluminum
Sold
H 94.49 in W 9.45 in D 86.62 in
Italian modern Carrara marble metal Arco floor lamp by Castiglioni's, Flos 1962
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos, Achille Castiglioni
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern Carrara marble and metal Arco floor lamp by Castiglioni Brothers, for Flos, 1962. Arco model floor lamp with direct light, with base in white Carrara marble and telesc...
Marble, Metal
Sold
H 92.13 in W 88.19 in D 12.01 in
Arco lamp by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos Anni 80
By Flos, Achille Castiglioni
Located in Milano, IT
Iconica lampada modello 'Arco' disegnata nel 1962 dai fratelli Castiglioni. Marble base, telescopic steel stem, chrome-plated and enameled aluminum diffuser. Good conditions.
Aluminum, Steel
Sold
H 94.49 in Dm 86.62 in
Arco floor lamp designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos 1965
By Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos, Achille Castiglioni
Located in Arezzo, Italy
Iconic Arco lamp designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos in 1962. Carrara marble base, curved steel frame, excellent condition. Made in 1962 by Achille and Pier Gia...
Carrara Marble, Steel
Lamp 'Arco' Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos 1970s
By Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Flos, Achille Castiglioni
Located in Milano, IT
Lamp model 'Arco' designed in 1962 by the Castiglioni brothers and produced by Flos. It features a marble base, while the stem and dome are made of steel. The maker's mark is present.
Marble, Steel
Sold
H 20.08 in Dm 18.9 in
Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos "Taccia" Table Lamp first edition
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Achille Castiglioni, Flos, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Vigevano, PV
rare first edition of this iconic table lamp model "Taccia" designed by Italian architects Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni flos production 1962
Aluminum, Steel
Sold
H 96.46 in W 7.09 in D 80.32 in
Lampada 'Arco' di Achille e Pier Giacomo Castiglioni per Flos Anni 80-90
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Achille Castiglioni, Flos, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Milano, IT
Iconica lampada modello 'Arco' disegnata nel 1962 dai fratelli Castiglioni. Base in marmo, stelo telescopico in acciaio, diffusore in alluminio cromato. Buone condizioni.
Marble, Aluminum, Steel
