Flos has unveiled a reissue of the Seki-Han floor lamp, originally designed for the Italian lighting manufacturer by Tobia Scarpa in 1963, with updated features that enhance its functionality
Photography by Robert Rieger, The Seki-Han Floor Lamp by Tobia Scarpa for Flos has been reissued with updated features and functionality
Words by Roddy Clarke
‘The reissue of the Seki-Han lamp gave us an opportunity to enhance the performance of the light source, leading to an increase in the height of the lamp, further highlighting the slender proportions of the thin wooden blades that screen the light,’ explains Tobia Scarpa when discussing the revival of his original 1960s design for Flos: the Seki-Han Floor Lamp.
While reimagining a design masterpiece is no mean feat, for Italian lighting experts Flos, this is more of an evolution than a reinvention. Featuring in the Flos catalogue from 1963-1966, the lamp was a hidden gem within the company’s illustrious heritage of design. Intricately constructed with techniques borrowed from naval architecture, its two Douglas fir blades enveloped a tubular bulb, fixed at either end with contrasting chrome fittings allowing the light to be cast symmetrically from both sides.
Courtesy of Flos, the original 1963 Seki-Han floor lamp as shown in the Flos catalogue
For this new edition, ash wood has been selected with the components crafted using advanced CNC machinery in Northern Italy. The wood has also been subjected to a specific heat treatment to prevent warping over time. However, one of the main differences for the re-edition is its ability to interact with the light source thanks to an advanced fastening system that allows the wooden blades to move and rotate around the bulb. ‘This enables variable light emission that is no longer strictly symmetrical,’ the team explain. ‘Even when completely closed, a sliver of light remains visible, creating a highly poetic effect.’ The lamp now stands at 185cm, 45cm taller than its predecessor, giving it more presence and impact within contemporary homes.
Photography by Robert Rieger, the floor lamp now stands taller than the original giving it more impact and presence within the home
With these alterations conceived in partnership with Scarpa once again, it pays homage to his ability to balance technology and craft, resulting in an updated design that remains just as relevant in an ever-evolving world. The base has also been redesigned, with a raw black iron alternative replacing its original lacquered wooden cap giving the lamp a loftier, suspended form. Added to this, a corresponding pendant can now be purchased, with the identical model (albeit slightly shorter in length) suspended horizontally.
Photography by Robert Rieger, The lamp is now also available in pendant form making it the perfect centrepiece for kitchen island or dining table settings
With its name directly translating to ‘red rice’, a traditional Japanese dish often prepared for special occasions, it comes from a symbol of good fortune, Scarpa explains. With the illustrious body of work from the Venetian architect speaking for itself, this is another example of how Scarpa has continued to find enduring relevance and purpose despite passing trends and fashions. When speaking in 2008 after being awarded the ADI Compasso d’Oro for Lifetime Achievement, he said, ‘I have dedicated my knowledge and abilities to companies. I do things the way I know how, and I try to be simple, without arrogance.’
Courtesy of Studio Tobia Scarpa, Tobia Scarpa pictured with the Biagio lamp
Accompanying the Biagio Lamp, an original 1968 design from Scarpa and Flos that has also been reissued this year, Seki-Han speaks to the continually advancing lighting sector. With its original fluorescent tube now obsolete, this version has been replaced with a linear LED light source: a custom creation by Flos specifically for the design. With a warm colour temperature and dimmer function integrated into the power cable, it also remains adaptable for a variety of moods and environments. ‘A tailor-made light source better suits the essence of the wood and the lamp’s use in residential settings,’ they say. ‘It also preserves the form of the original fluorescent sockets while offering the added benefit of uniform 360° light emission.’ It is the expertise of visionary brands such as Flos, when paired with the poetic, yet architectural, sensibilities of Scarpa, that design classics emerge and evolve, allowing us to enjoy them for generations to come.
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