Pizzakobra Table Lamp by Ron Arad for Iguzzini, 2000s

Ron Arad was born in Israel in 1951. Following his studies at Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem, he moved to London in 1973 to study at the Architectural Association. He started his first company in 1981 and set up Ron Arad Associates in 1989 in Chalk Farm, north London.

Today, Arad and his team rigorously explore one material and technique after another; from ready-mades and welded heavy metal to extruded plastic and rapid-prototyping. In addition to architectural and industrial commissions, the studio creates limited-edition furniture designs in a range of innovative processes, such as selective laser sintering and stereo-lithography, as well as metalwork produced in partnership with an Italian fabricator.

Alongside these exercises in uniqueness, Arad collaborates with a variety of international brands to develop products for mass production, such as the Bookworm Bookshelf for Kartell and the Tom Vac Chair for Vitra.

Harvey Guzzini is often mistakenly thought to be the name of a lighting designer active in the 1960s and 1970s. But in fact the label belongs to a lighting manufacturing company, which was founded by six Guzzini brothers—Raimondo, Giovanni, Virgilio, Giuseppe, Adolfo and Giannunzio—who were inspired by the 1950 film Harvey starring James Stewart. Compounding the historical record even further, it seems that the Guzzini company rebranded many times in the 20th century, going by, at various points, Harvey Creazioni, Harvey Guzzini, Guzzini, iGuzzini, and Illuminazione Guzzini.

Harvey Creazioni was originally founded in 1959 in Recanti (on the east central coast of Italy) by Raimondo, focusing on the production of copper-plated decorative objects. Four years later, in June 1963, the six brothers joined together and established Harvey Creazioni di Guzzini, expanding production to include pendant lighting, sconces, and lamps, floor lamps. The brothers employed architect-designer Luigi Massoni—who was introduced to the Guzzini brothers by leading plastic importer Maurizio Adreani—as head of design, branding, public relations, and advertizing.

Famous Harvey Guzzini designs include Massoni and Luciano Buttura's Mushroom Table Lamp (1965), as well as the in-house designed Arc Floor Lamp (1968), Faro Table Lamp (1970), and Toledo Table Lamp (1973). Studio 6G, an interning design team, developed the collectible Clan Table Lamp (1968); and designers Ermanno Lampa and Sergio Brazzoli were responsible for the Nastro Series (1970), Orione Pendant (1970), Sirio Table Lamp (1970), Alba Floor Lamp (1973), Albanella Table Lamp (1973), and Alf Series (1976).

Around 1976, Harvey Guzzini ceased the production of copper-plated items to concentrate on lighting made almost exclusively from methacrylate plastic (acrylic). The company also dabbled in furniture production, collaborating with Yugoslavian furniture producer Meblo, located in Nova Gorica in present day Slovenia.

In 1967-68 the company exhibited at Domus: Formes Italiennes in the Galeries Lafayette in Paris under the name Design House (DH), where the company featured Gio Ponti’sMedia Lamp. A retail outlet was opened in central Milan under the name Harvey Guzzini-DH in 1969, situating the brand literally and figuratively among the best known Italian design houses.

In 1974 the company rebranded once more as iGuzzini—adding “Illuminazione” in 1981—which still exists today with headquarters in Recanati, Italy.