Iconic design exerts a great emotional attraction

Mr. Salinger, if you had to highlight one thing that makes iconic design, what would it be?

If I could name just one aspect, I would say that iconic design has a great emotional appeal. We see an object, a product, and immediately something is triggered in us. Even if we have forgotten the specific name or perhaps never knew it, the sight is often associated with a wealth of associations, images and moods. Take, for example, Nesso by Giancarlo Mattioli/Gruppo Architetti Urbanisti Cittá Nuova, a table lamp that is directly linked to the dynamic spirit of optimism of the sixties. Here, a minimalist design language – decidedly modern, very Italian, absolutely cool – meets the then completely innovative material plastic, plus these fresh colors: orange and white. What is decisive, however, is that Nesso does not only function within the sixties and its specific aesthetics, but also in completely different, detached contexts. She is a great embodiment of her time, but at the same time transports its ideals into the present: openness, playfulness, the desire for the future. An iconic design like this sticks in people's minds – and with it the positive feelings it embodies.

But to create these feelings, some prerequisites are necessary, right

Clear. Creating an outstanding product is difficult, but it can be done. For example, they need excellent know-how, the best materials, and a clear design vision. This can increase the likelihood that your product will be a success. At least to a certain extent. What you can't influence now, however, is whether this product will become a classic in its field. And certainly not whether it will become an icon – i.e. whether it has a lasting cultural and aesthetic value that points far beyond the actual product benefit. This is where something comes into play that you can't dispose of. Zeitgeist, mere coincidence, pure magic ... I don't know. Basically, it's like a hit: you can have a great song, a driving hook, a chorus that really ignites. But will it become an evergreen that will still be sung decades from now? Maybe, but probably not. If it does happen: All the better!

But it can be influenced a little whether a product at least has the potential to become a classic, right?

At least there's something that many design icons have in common. I think we are dealing with an interplay of several aspects: First of all, there is an aesthetic that stands in its time, comments on and reflects on it, but nevertheless points beyond it. To speak of an icon always means to admire timeless beauty. For example, you can rely on clear, simple shapes and harmonious proportions that make the design universally appealing. A certain degree of independence is required here, which requires a high level of recognition. Ideally, you have a signature design that can be reinterpreted again and again without your design losing its identity-creating features. The technology factor is at least as important. Advances in materials science and production technology make it possible to turn visions into reality that were previously unthinkable. If you are a pioneer here, the chance that you will create an icon is much higher. Last but not least, functionality remains a key element: you need a product that is easy to use, that is intuitive and immediately accessible. Just as if it had always been there. And of course, for a product that has timeless validity, a correspondingly durable quality is also crucial – an icon must be designed to such a high standard that it will last for decades of use.

Tell us which Artemide lamps have icon status and why?

Among the most famous lamps are certainly Tizio and Tolomeo. Along with many other luminaires, they have made a significant contribution to the Artemide brand itself enjoying a legendary reputation, especially among designers and architects. With Tizio, the great Richard Sapper only wanted to construct a lamp for his desk at the time. It should be flexible and only illuminate the work surface, have long arms and a narrow head. To ensure that the luminaire was as flexible as he imagined, Sapper not only had to achieve a perfect balance through optimally arranged counterweights, but also avoid time-consuming cabling. So he came up with the idea of using a low-voltage halogen lamp and using the arms of the lamp itself as electrical conductors. The bulb is supplied with power via integrated rods and buttons. The transversal use of the halogen lamp, originally invented for car headlights, was an absolute revolution in the early seventies – there was nothing comparable on the market. But it is interesting that Tizio's great commercial success did not come until about a decade later. Their elegant, cool high-tech design was particularly popular with Wall Street brokers, who were themselves a zeitgeist phenomenon during the boom of the eighties. Tizio can therefore also be admired in the film "The Wolf of Wall Street" with Leonardo di Caprio. In the meantime, however, we see the lamp everywhere.

Did the success of Tolomeo come with a similar time lag?

It took about three years for Michele De Lucchi's lamp to become successful. The design was technically outstanding: a precisely ingenious spring compensation system that makes it possible to bring the arm and head into almost any position with one hand. Where it stays exactly the same, of course. Something like this is one of the most complicated things you can do in lighting design. Incidentally, De Lucchi was inspired by the old fishermen's gallows, which are still widespread in southern Italy. With its cable system, heavy things can be moved relatively easily. In addition to the technical sophistication, there is now the reduced design language, which is clear, simple and elegant, but at the same time has something familiar, almost familiar. Experts quickly recognized the Tolomeo as the perfect combination of design and functionality and awarded it numerous awards. At the beginning and then in the course of the 90s, the popularity of the lamp increased unbelievably. Designers and architects still love it dearly today, especially in the classic aluminium version with the matt silver lampshade. It has practically become the archetype of the design-conscious desk lamp. I hear again and again that many perceive the Tolomeo as a kind of companion: calm, reliable and loyal. As if she had always been there. In addition, high-quality, durable and virtually indestructible. There is perhaps no better way to describe what makes an iconic product.