Flos Parentesi 50th Anniversary Edition, 1971

Parentesi 50th anniversary edition light by A Castiglioni + P Manzu for Flos.

The result of the collaboration between two great designers who never met, the iconic Parentesi has been reimagined in two new colourways to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

The story of the Parentesi begins in 1969 with the death of Pio Manzù, a young designer who invented the first multi-purpose vehicle.

After Manzù passed, Castiglioni was presented with the designer’s drawings and was enticed by one in particular: a sketch of a light-emitting tin cylinder suspended on a vertical rod connecting the floor to the ceiling.

Castiglioni developed the design with the technicians at Flos, bringing the dynamic light to life in the early 1970s.

The colours introduced for the anniversary light were selected for their significance to the designers; turquoise, a colour Castiglioni frequently used in decorating, and Orange Signal, a colour that Manzù used for his design prototypes.