Lampe de Marseille: the actuality of Modernism
“Space and light and order. Those are the things that men need just as much as they need bread or a place to sleep.”
In all its models, Lampe de Marseille is a timeless creation, as recently demonstrated by the exhibition La Luce at the Biennale Interieur in Kortrijk, Belgium, conceived by Nemo as an insight into Le Corbusier and Perriand’s archives.
The Unité d'Habitation in Marseille, France represented all these criteria: a huge concrete building designed by Le Corbusier and inaugurated in 1952, it consists of 17 floors and looks like a vertical city. Also known as the Cité Radieuse because it has both east-west sun exposure, it includes 337 apartments of 23 types, from studios to accommodation for ten people, and all the amenities: shops, schools, offices, gyms, medical assistance and even a hotel. Defined by Gio Ponti “the most important modern architectural event in today’s world”, it is one of the best examples of brutalist architecture, whose name comes from the French béton brut, the typical exposed concrete that highlights the structure.
Le Corbusier had studied in detail his housing project, taking care of its furniture, too and producing cabinets, shelves, wall sconces and lamps. These include the Lampe de Marseille, which is now considered an icon. Designed between 1949 and 1952 and now featured in the Master Collection by NEMO together with a selection of timeless items, this wall lamp is a symbol of the Modern Movement and witnesses the relevance of the aestetic research carried out in those years. Its essential and functional shape together with its features were inspired by the “anti-decorative” industrial lighting of the time.
Its miniature version, the Lampe de Marseille Mini, maintains the contemporary design: the two cones for direct and indirect lighting output and the swivels that allow orientation. Like its larger version, it is made of aluminum, has white internal diffuser and a body available in two colors, matt grey or white wash.
The Applique de Marseille is characterized by the same simplicity of the Lampe and was designed by Le Corbusier for his Parisian apartment in Rue Nungesser et Coli. It has the same double emission and a functional and adjustable light output.
These lamps by NEMO are unique and signed by one of the most important designers, architects and planners of the Twentieth century. They will furnish your space with the Modernist aesthetic typical of the houses in Marseille.
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