Martinelli Luce celebrates an important milestone: the 60th anniversary of the Pipistrello lamp, a true icon of Italian design. For the occasion, the famous brand presents a new, elegant edition in matt white,, an essential and sophisticated finish that enhances the purity of its forms and renews its timeless beauty. Produced by Martinelli Luce, Pipistrello was born in 1965 from the design that Gae Aulenti created for the Olivetti showroom in Paris. The lamp marked a revolution right from its debut: it was made using a methacrylate diffuser moulding technique, pioneering at the time, which contributed to its immediate success.
With its unmistakable profile inspired by the wings of a bat and its height-adjustable telescopic structure, Pipistrello has succeeded in transcending the boundaries of time and fashion, always remaining current. Over the years, Martinelli Luce has been able to reinterpret the icon through new colours and formats: from the classic dark brown and white to the more recent yellow Pop and bronze, the lamp has also evolved in its functionality. The original version was joined in 2013 by the Minipipistrello, more compact and with a fixed height; in 2017 by the Minipipistrello Cordless, wireless and dimmable; the Pipistrello MED, ideal for desks; and finally the Pipistrello 4.0, introduced in 2020, equipped with Tunable White LED technology capable of modulating light following the natural rhythm of the day.
To honour its 60th anniversary, Martinelli Luce offers two versions in matt white to narrate an evolution that looks to the future without forgetting its origins: a standard and a limited edition. The first 200 examples of the latter are available in total white, numbered and embellished with the engraving ‘60 years’ and a small embedded Swarovski crystal. The new white matt finish gives Pipistrello an almost sculptural character: switched off, it looks like an objet d’art modelled in plaster, while switched on it diffuses a delicate and enveloping light. The diffuser in satin-finish white opal methacrylate, combined with elements in satin-finish steel, gives a new materiality that dialogues with the light and amplifies its emotional intensity.
