Discover Arne Jacobsen's St Catherine's College lighting

Arne Jacobsen Saint Catherine College canteen

St Catherine’s College canteen, Oxford

(Image credit: Courtesy Louis Poulsen)

Arne Jacobsen conceived Oxford’s St Catherine’s College, inaugurated in 1964, as a Gesamtkunstwerk, working on every element of the campus, from the architecture to the gardens, as well as furniture and lighting throughout (he even picked the type of fish that would swim in the pond). Now, Danish lighting company Louis Poulsen has issued for the first time the lighting designs created especially for the legendary college, in the form of the ‘AJ Oxford Table Lamp’ series.

Widely considered one of Jacobsen's masterpieces, the design for the college adhered to Oxford's traditional quadrangle layout while following a modern canon and employing materials such as brick, concrete and glass.

Arne Jacobsen’s lighting designs for St Catherine’s College

Arne Jacobsen St Catherine's College lamp designs by Louis Poulsen

As part of the project, Jacobsen created a distinctive lighting design. It was originally designed for the college's refectory, where it is still in use, installed on the oak tables dedicated to students and teaching staff.

Jacobsen designed several versions of the lamp: a classic table version, a pendant version, as well as a pin-mounted lamp. Louis Poulsen brings back the design for the general public, with three versions that pay tribute to the Jacobsen originals by staying true to his design concept.

Essential designs in black and white, each lamp features a slim black stem that doubles as a base, its sinuous design a minimalist approach to industrial production. The black cord continues the visual line, honouring Jacobsen's sculptural, elegant approach. The ‘AJ Oxford Table Lamp’ is an ideal intimate lighting object, casting a discreet light over its surroundings and adapting to different settings around the home and beyond.

Two table lamp sizes come with or without the black metal shade and the original brass on/off 'union nut' button on the top, perfectly replicating the original design and further proving Jacobsen's timeless approach.

The ‘AJ Oxford Table Lamp’ will be available from Spring 2023

louispoulsen.com

Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.