Zaha Hadid, Floor Lamp mod. Genesy for Artemide, 2009

Zaha Hadid left an indelible mark on the architectural world, transforming the look of contemporary architecture with her striking abstract and modernist designs. Fluid forms and Constructivist aesthetics — such as bold colors and softly angular edges — are the keynotes of her buildings and her furniture. Hadid’s work is the essence of energy and drama.

Born in Baghdad, Iraq, Hadid studied at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London and made that city her home for much of her life. Hadid’s design sensibility was formed more by art than architecture. In college, she was first inspired by the Russian avant-garde school of artists. The influence of painters such as Wassily Kandinsky and Kazimir Malevich is apparent in Hadid’s early work, in which she created abstract paintings and drawings to convey her ideas. The distortion of geometric shapes is a particularly prominent and recurring theme in her work. Hadid founded her firm in 1980, from which she launched architectural triumphs like the MAXXI Museum in Rome and the Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art at Cincinnati's Contemporary Arts Center.

Hadid’s furniture and sculptures provide her admirers with the chance to bring the beauty and drama of her architecture into their homes. These designs are true centerpieces that fill even staid rooms with fluidity and rhythm. The organic forms of her designs bring a sweeping sense of movement to stationary objects. The furniture exhibits a kind of playfulness and creates a relationship with the user. Hadid transformed furniture into fine art.

Find authentic Zaha Hadid tables, lighting and other works on 1stDibs.

Artemide is an iconic firm in the design world. The mid-century Italian company is one of the best known lighting manufacturers and its award-winning fixtures are held in museum collections everywhere. Vintage Artemide table lamps, pendants, ceiling lamps and other lighting represent a thoughtful merge between functionalism and eye-catching design.

Artemide, which is based in Pregnana, was founded by Ernesto Gismondi and Sergio Mazza in 1959. During that year, Mazza created the first table lamp for the manufacturer — a modernist work in glass, marble and metal that he called the Alfa. Gismondi, who studied aeronautical engineering at the Polytechnic University of Milan and missile engineering at Rome’s Professional School of Engineering, applied his knowledge of cutting edge technology and materials such as fiberglass resin to Artemide’s designs for lighting and furniture.

In 1967, Artemide won Italy’s Compasso d'Oro design award for its Eclisse table lamp, which was designed by Vico Magistretti two years earlier. Other award-winning fixtures include the Tizio table lamp designed by Richard Sapper and the Tolomeo table lamp.

Designed by Michele de Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina, the Tolomeo featured the patented George Carwardine mechanism used in the original Anglepoise lamp. De Lucchi would later be recruited to join visionary postmodern design collective the Memphis Group. Artemide’s Gismondi purchased the brand after founder Ettore Sottsass dismantled the collective in 1988, and it was bought by Alberto Bianchi Albrici in 1996.

Artemide’s list of design, innovation, sustainability and other industry awards is long and distinguished. The firm continues to actively collaborate with internationally revered designers and seek out new talent through workshops with design schools. The company’s deeply held values — energy-saving lighting, sustainable design and ethically sourced materials — characterize its current offerings, and Artemide furniture and lighting can be found in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art and other institutions.

On 1stDibs, find Artemide tables, seating, floor lamps, chandeliers and more.