“Il Cammino” table lamp by Angelo Mangiarotti for Iter Elettronica, 1970

“Il Cammino” table lamp designed by Angelo Mangiarotti for Iter Elettronica in the seventies. Made of chromed metal, glass and acrylic, it is an emblematic project of the designer’s research on the relationship between technology, gesture and perception of the luminous object.

The lamp is characterized by an interactive mechanism based on a chrome path to be followed with the fingers, which allows the adjustment of the light intensity. The system is activated by touching the metal element with two fingers and sliding the gesture forward and then backward, transforming the user’s action into an integral part of the project. Light thus becomes a tactile as well as a visual experience, in line with Mangiarotti’s experimental approach.

The design combines formal rigor and technical innovation, placing “Il Cammino” among the most significant examples of Italian design of the seventies, a period in which electronics and interaction began to enter the language of domestic lighting.