Fresnel Wall Lamp by Oluce

Fresnel is a small wall or ceiling lamp built around a glass Fresnel lens, designed in 1966 by Joe Colombo for Oluce.

It comes in 4 finishes (white, black, grey and chrome) and 2 versions: incandescent with an E12 socket, and LED.

The Design Story

Oluce, founded in Milan in 1945, makes Fresnel for people who like objects that look finished. The lamp is small enough to fit in the palm of a hand, and its sand-blasted glass lens, 10 cm across, spreads a soft, deep and diffused light. It is made for walls and ceilings, indoors and outdoors, and it keeps to one simple shape that needs nothing more.

The Story

Colombo drew Fresnel in 1966 with the idea of an object so essential that it could not be improved, one shaped by time rather than by fashion. Oluce describes the result as timeless simplicity, where being practical and being elegant come to the same thing.

The Designers

Joe Colombo was one of the major Italian designers of the postwar years and died in 1971 at the age of 41. Oluce describes his work as an optimistic look toward the future rather than a nostalgic one. He designed integrated living cells such as Visiona ’69 for Bayer and compact self-contained objects such as the Mini-Kitchen of 1963. His other works include the Bobby cart and the Elda armchair (both 1970), a chair for Kartell (1968) and the mp lamp (1972).

“the brief but intense parable of one of the greatest Italian designers”

Oluce, on Joe Colombo

How It Was Made

The body is lacquered aluminium, in white, black or grey, or chrome-plated for indoor use. The diffuser is a sand-blasted transparent glass Fresnel lens. Oluce makes it in Italy for wall or ceiling mounting.

Downloads

• Technical sheet, UL version (PDF)
• Technical sheet, incandescent (PDF)
• Technical sheet, LED (PDF)
• Assembly instructions (PDF)
• Assembly instructions, UL version (PDF)

Why You’ll Love It

Fresnel is a lamp you stop noticing and then notice again at night. The lens turns a small source into a soft glow that grazes a wall or a ceiling, and the compact body fits beside a door, over a mirror, on a terrace or by a pool. Pick the finish to match the wall, or the chrome to catch it.

Made for Real Life

The incandescent version takes one E12 bulb up to 40W, bulb not included, and is not dimmable. The LED version has a built-in 4W source at 2700K with a CRI above 85 and an external driver. The LED version is rated IP44 for indoor and outdoor use. The chrome finish is for indoor use only. Wipe the body with a soft dry cloth and skip abrasive or solvent cleaners.

Product Details

Where It Shines

Mount it beside a front door, over a bathroom mirror, in a hallway, on a terrace wall or by a pool. It suits modern and mid-century interiors, hotels and restaurants, and it works as both a wall lamp and a small ceiling light.

Questions We Hear Most

How big is the Fresnel wall lamp?

The lens is 3.9 in (10 cm) across and the lamp projects 4.7 in (12 cm) from the wall or ceiling, so it fits in the palm of a hand.

Can I use Fresnel outdoors?

Yes. The LED version is rated IP44 for indoor and outdoor use, and the incandescent version is listed as suitable for wet locations. The chrome finish is for indoor use only.

What bulb does the Fresnel take?

The incandescent version takes one E12 bulb up to 40W, not included. The LED version has a built-in 4W source at 2700K.

Can I dim the Fresnel?

No. Oluce does not list either version of the Fresnel as dimmable.

Can it go on a ceiling?

Yes. Oluce lists Fresnel as a wall or ceiling lamp, and the assembly instructions are linked in the Downloads section.

Who designed the Fresnel?

Joe Colombo designed it in 1966 for Oluce.

Why We Love It

Fresnel does one thing very well: it gives a small, calm pool of light and then gets out of the way. It is a 1966 idea that still looks right, indoors or out.

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