Oluce

Oluce describes itself as the oldest Italian design company still active in lighting. Giuseppe Ostuni founded it in Milan in 1945. By 1951 it was showing a Luminator by Franco Buzzi at the ninth Triennale, in the lighting section directed by the Castiglioni brothers.

The company's history reads through its materials. Acrilica, by Joe and Gianni Colombo, has been in the catalogue since 1962: a curve of very thick perspex along which light appears to climb, awarded the gold medal at the thirteenth Triennale. Joe Colombo's Spider system of 1965, hinged on a melamine ball joint and available for table, floor, wall and ceiling, won Oluce its first Compasso d'Oro in 1967 and a place in the MoMA exhibition “Italy: the New Domestic Landscape” in 1972. Coupé, also by Colombo, is held in the MoMA collection.

From the 1970s ownership passed to the Verderi family and Vico Magistretti became art director for many years. He drew Atollo in 1977, cone, cylinder and half-sphere, which won the Compasso d'Oro in 1979 and has been the company's emblem since. The Bespoke Tailoring service, launched in 2015, makes custom lamps for projects.

Artopia carries Oluce in Geneva. A good number of these models have been in continuous production for fifty years, which answers most questions about how long they last.