Splügen Bräu

In 1961, Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni were commissioned to design the interiors of a Milan beer hall, the Splügen Bräu. Rather than approach the lamp as an isolated object, they conceived it as part of a total environment, drawing on the warmth of old train carriages and the convivial density of Neo-Liberty style. The pendant that emerged from that commission outlasted the bar itself.

The reflector is spun aluminium, polished and sealed with a transparent protective coating that preserves its sheen without masking the material beneath. A steel ceiling fitting anchors the suspension, while the canopy is vacuum-formed ABS in gloss white. Direct light falls in a focused downward wash, making it equally at home over a dining table or a counter as it was over the hall's original bar top.

• Spun aluminium reflector with polished, transparent-coated finish
• Steel ceiling fitting and gloss white ABS canopy
• Single E26 socket, compatible with incandescent or LED sources
• Dimmable, for indoor dry locations

The Castiglionis had a rare gift for objects that carry cultural memory without becoming nostalgic. Splügen Bräu holds the atmosphere of a particular Milan, precise in form and generous in light.