Inspiration
2022/2/15
Shaping the modern
Wilhelm Wagenfeld was a silversmith who became one of the most important pioneers of industrial design - with a lamp. The Bauhaus lamp, or WG24 as its real name is, is still manufactured by Tecnolumen in Germany. We tell the story of how the brand became the home of Bauhaus lighting and the start of industrial design's entry into the high street.
When it comes to designer lamps from the Bauhaus era, Tecnolumen is the brand to turn to. And not just any Bauhaus lamps, but those that have come to symbolise the very foundation of industrial design aesthetics.
When Wilhelm Wagenfeld, a 24-year-old journeyman silversmith, entered the Bauhaus school in Weimar in 1923, few would have guessed that he would become one of the foremost industrial designers of the 20th century. But the fact is that, together with his lamp, he would become a pioneer of modern form and a design language that brought art, design, architecture and craftsmanship ever closer together.
Wilhelm Wagenfeld
Bauhaus Table Lamp WG 24
Wilhelm had high expectations for his luminaire. In addition to strict functional requirements, it was important that the lamp be aesthetically pleasing, even when not in use. The design of the lamp was typical of the Bauhaus period, where he experimented with different types of materials, deciding on a lampshade in opal glass, a base in clear glass and details in nickel-plated metal.
First shown at the Leipzig Trade Fair in 1924, the WG24 quickly became a global celebrity, not least because behind its simple aesthetic was a high level of craftsmanship, with each piece made by hand and numbered on the underside. However, due to high production costs, the lamp was initially produced in a limited edition. It wasn't until 1976, when entrepreneur Walter Schnepel discovered the Bauhaus lamp during a visit to Wilhelm's studio, that he decided to start mass-producing it under the brand name Tecnolumen.
Bauhaus Table Lamp WG 24
Tecnolumens' first luminaire is a huge success and will mark the beginning of industrial design's entry into the high street. As the company continues to add more Bauhaus classics to its range, it also starts working with contemporary designers. To this day, all luminaires are still made by hand in the lighting factory in Bremen to ensure the best possible result. And to this day, the WG24 is still made according to the original 1924 design, so that it is just as popular almost a century later.
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