La Lampe Gras: A Lighting Icon
La Lampe Gras: An Icon of the 20th Century
The Lampe Gras was invented in 1921 but suits modern contemporary spaces
In 1921 Bernard-Albin GRAS designed a series of lamps for use in offices and in industrial environments. The GRAS lamp, as it was subsequently called, was astounding in its simple, robust and yet very ergonomic design. There are neither screws nor welded joints in the basic form. Bernard-Albin Gras was one of the most innovative designers of the 20th century. The functional aesthetic of his lamps and especially the design of details such as those of the arms, stems, brackets, and bases were truly original and far ahead of his time.
Well-known designers share a drink under the light of a Lampe Gras in 1930. Left to right: unknown, Le Corbusier, Nikolai Kolli, unknown, Vladimir Nikolaievitch Barkof, Charlotte Perriand, and Pierre Jeanneret
Early on Le Corbusier was seduced by the modern design and user-friendliness of the lamps and became one of Bernard-Albin GRAS’s most enthusiastic supporters using the lamps in his own offices as well as employing them in numerous architectural projects all over the world. For the first time in history, a lamp was equally popular in professional as well as in residential applications. Bernard-Albin Gras’ talented and visionary design has proven to be timeless.
Read the history of the Lampe Gras to learn why Le Corbusier was such a champion of the light...
Lampe Gras In-Stock Models
Today the Lampe Gras is available in an assortment of models, making it a highly functional collection. DCWéditions manufactures the lamp with fidelity to the original design, and they have prepared stock that is certified for North America. This collection of Lampe Gras includes:
Lampe Gras N°205 Desk lamp
The Lampe Gras N°205
The original model and the iconic silhouette; this is the Lampe Gras that industrial design students dutifully study and collectors fervently hoard. A strong base keeps this articulating desk lamp anchored to the tabletop. Its tell-tale feature--the exposed electrical cable--helps reduce wear and tear over a lifetime of movement. It also allows for a stronger hinge that stays in place when you position it, perhaps its best feature. The N°205 Lampe Gras comes in a conical shade available in 11 finishes.
Lampe Gras Floor Lights N°411 & N°215
Lampe Gras N°411 floor light with conical shade in black
The floor light version of the Lampe Gras (N°411) features a double elbow for added articulation (twice through 340°) and enhanced functionality. Ideal next to your armchair, sofa, or workstation, this modern floor light has a round shade and is available in 11 finish options.
N°215 Lampe Gras floor lamp in red. Also a cute sleepy dog.
Lampe Gras N°215 floor lamp features the more classic rod and arm system (in addition to its 3 articulating hinges), which allows users to move the arm up and down the base rod to adjust the light's height over a sofa or onto a desk. It comes with the black conic shade.
Lampe Gras Ceiling Lights N°302
Lampe Gras N°302 ceiling light in red with conical shade
Ceiling light N°302 available in a conic shade in black or a round shade in eleven finish options. With a long stem that can rotate 360° and extend 92cm, another arm that extends 20cm, and two hinges holding it together, this ceiling light has incredible functionality and reach. It's light can be repositioned as needed making it ideal for workshops, studios, kitchens, and other work surfaces.
Lampe Gras Wall Lights
Lampe Gras N°214 wall light
The N°210 & N°214 both fasten to the wall in two places, with a 78cm rod serving as the base for the stem of the light. The stem can move up and down the rod to raise or lower the light. As with other Lampe Gras, the wall light versions feature hinges and rotating arms for unrivalled functionality.
Lampe Gras N°304 wall light in red
The N°304 wall light has a single connection point and comes in a short or long version. Ideal for hallways, corridors, kitchens, or restaurants.
Lampe Gras N°304 outdoor version is ideal for washrooms as well as outdoors
The N°304 also comes in an outdoor version, with a classy satin black finish. Perfect for above shop signs, home entrances, or even bathrooms.
Modern Finishes for Lampe Gras
DCWéditions invited Pierre Bonnefille, a talented colour artist, to create the chromatic palette of the lampshades for the Lampe Gras. Playing along with the astonishing transposition of the light into the domestic interior universe, Pierre Bonnefille used the aesthetic vocabulary of the mechanical field to create a modern palette that remains true to the lamp's craft origins.
Colour artist Pierre Bonnefille prepares new finishes for the Lampe Gras
For the new Carbon Blue finish, he was inspired by the old boiler suit. Machine tools and oiled appearance inspired Carter Yellow. While wood molding pieces painted with iron oxide informed his Red Oxide.
The new finishes for Lampe Gras are inspired by industrial objects like cast iron pipes and boiler suits.
The lampshades are available with a white or copper interior for the Foundry Black finish, which was informed by cast iron pipes. The White Porcelain evokes small electrical equipment while Ardent Copper alludes to the material traditionally used in this industrial background.
If you yearn to add the timeless form of DCWéditions' Lampe Gras collection to your lighting plan, visit us online or in one of our offices and showrooms in Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Kelowna, and Winnipeg.