Midcentury Italian lighting design spans as many genres as one can imagine, with a range of creative expressions that expand on the functional mission of lighting design. From the overly decorative to the sci-fi inspired, from the sculptural to the purely industrial, Italian lighting design has shaped the history of domestic objects in an impactful, long-lasting way.
The work of Venetian lighting designer Carlo Nason sits at the more abstract, experimental end of this spectrum. A Murano glass expert that operated at the cusp of art and design, his work explored the sculptural creative possibilities of glass.
'Carlo Nason grew up with an extraordinary knowledge of Murano glassmaking, but he was not defined by its traditions,' says Marie Kristine Schmidt, CEO of Danish design company Gubi. This month, the Scandinavian company adds Nason to their ever-growing portfolio of design reissues, with a collaboration that brings back the designer's ‘LT305’ lamp, now re-named the ‘Lotus’ lamp after the evocative nickname used by collectors.
One thing Schmidt admired in Nason's work was his independence. 'He looked beyond Murano to industrial design in Milan, Northern European modernism, photography, and the world around him, and brought those influences into his work,' she told Wallpaper*. 'There is an intelligence and practicality to his designs that I find very compelling. He thought about how a lamp was made, assembled, cleaned, and used, without compromising the beauty of the object. Nothing feels unnecessary.'
‘There is an intelligence and practicality to his designs: he thought about how a lamp was made, assembled, cleaned, and used, without compromising the beauty of the object. Nothing feels unnecessary’
Marie Kristine Schmidt
Nason died in May 2026, so the timing of the launch, which was developed in close collaboration with the designer and his son Alberto Nason, feels momentous. 'It gives us the opportunity to celebrate his work and bring renewed attention to a designer with a very independent and original point of view,' adds Schmidt.
Carlo Nason's ‘Lotus’ lamp reissued by Gubi
The ‘Lotus’ lamp was originally created in 1969, and embodies Nason's curiosity and prowess with glass. Through his work, he was instrumental in putting Murano on the global design map and among his most creative glass experiments are lighting objects that push the boundaries of the material with explosive forms that appear futuristic and are technically challenging.
The ‘Lotus’ lamp is a fitting example: only produced for a few years after its creation, it was originally part of Nason's exploration of multi-layered glass compositions within an object (a recurring theme of his vast oeuvre).
'The “Lotus” looks simple, but making it is incredibly demanding,' notes Schmidt, describing the intricate manufacturing process behind the piece. 'Each of the four glass shades is mouth-blown individually, and they have to fit together with great precision. Inside, a compact steel structure carries the weight of the glass, keeps exactly the right distance between each layer, and hides the light source.
Then you have the pulegoso glass, with thousands of tiny bubbles and natural variations created during the making. So there is a very precise construction, but you can still see the hand of the maker. No two lamps are completely identical. That balance between precision, craftsmanship, and individuality is what makes the “Lotus” so special.'
The lamp joins a collection that includes archival designs from some of modern history's most celebrated voices, from Gabriella Crespi to Pierre Paulin, as well as regular contemporary commissions to the likes of Gam Fratesi and Space Copenhagen. It is an interesting approach for a Scandinavian design brand, to expand its portfolio beyond its geographical confines and playing an integral part in the preservation of some of the past century's most important creative moments.
'For Gubi, being historically important is not enough reason to bring a design back. It has to be relevant today,' explains Schmidt. 'We have to believe that people will want to live with it now, not simply admire it because of its history. The “Lotus” is a good example. Carlo Nason designed it more than 50 years ago, but the way he thought about lighting feels very relevant today. Bringing back the Lotus is also about telling Nason's story and introducing his work to a new audience. That is an important part of Gubi's role when we reintroduce historical design.'
