Lumens Helps Reissue the Scarpa-design FLOS Seki-Han Lamp

The son of seminal polymath Carlo Scarpa—an experimental Italian architect and designer who marched to the beat of his own drum—Tobia Scarpa forged a career in a similarly irreverent, self-determined spirit. Together with his equally nonconformist wife and partner Afra Bianchin, he created a number of era-defining furnishings that challenged both the aesthetic and technical limits of materials. Among these enduring icons are some 30 luminaires designed for FLOS—many of the company’s earliest products.

A minimalist bedroom with beige walls, a low bed with white bedding, a vertical floor lamp emitting warm light, a metal side table, and cream-colored curtains.

A tall, slim floor lamp emits warm light beside an unmade bed, metal side table, and square metallic cabinet in a minimal beige room with sheer curtains.

One such emblematic, though long overshadowed, design is Seki-Han. First released in 1963 and produced for only three years, the rare linear floor lamp—a quiet revolution in material use, form, and the calibrated diffusion of symmetrical light—has recently been reissued with strategic updates. Brought up to contemporary standards in both technology and functionality, the design remains true to its original form while also evolving into a horizontal pendant. Introducing the concept to the U.S. market for the first time this month is luxury online design retailer Lumens.

A minimal bedroom with beige walls, a floor lamp, unmade bed with white bedding, metal table with books, and a leafy green plant by the window.

A floor lamp with a black base stands next to a bed and a side table, with leafy plant shadows cast on the wall and bedding.

The lamp’s sleek yet humble presence stems from Scarpa’s fascination with Japanese cuisine, specifically its namesake: red rice, or seki-han. “The name of the lamp comes from a symbol of good fortune: in Japan, ‘seki han’ (red rice) is a traditional dish often prepared for special occasions, such as the celebration of a birth,” he explains.

A modern lounge chair with a wooden frame and dark cushion sits beside a tall, vertical floor lamp in a minimalist room with beige walls and a white curtain.

Minimalist room with a black chaise lounge, vertical floor lamp with a wooden frame, beige walls, sheer curtains, and a built-in fireplace.

At the time, the duo loosely translated the dish’s color into comparably toned and textured wood, but the association resonates most clearly in the lamp’s extruded interpretation of the rice grain. Masters of sculptural composition, they conceived two slender blade-like forms—originally in Douglas fir—flanking a central neon tube. The re-edition replaces this with sustainably sourced ash and FLOS’s proprietary LED technology, which emits a warmer, more nuanced light that better complements the natural material.

A vertical wooden or metal light fixture stands in front of an ornate, decorative wall with intricate patterns and muted colors.

A close-up of a floor lamp with a wooden vertical body, metal base, and cord on a wooden floor against a textured wall.

“The reissue of the Seki-Han lamp gave us an opportunity to enhance the performance of the light source, leading to an increase in the height of the lamp, which further highlights the slender proportions of the thin wooden blades that screen the light,” Scarpa adds.

A wooden floor lamp with a vertical light strip stands on a round black base next to a bed with a white blanket in a beige room.

A close-up of a vertical wooden post with a narrow, vertical light strip and two visible screws against a plain brown background.

A tall, rectangular wooden post with rounded edges, featuring a small black circular detail and a metallic button on top, set against a beige background.

Now in his 90s, he continues to refine what was already resolved—both as a way of tracing the evolution of the duo’s creative output and of testing the enduring relevance of their ideas. In this case, a largely forgotten concept from over 60 years ago finds renewed clarity. For an iconic object to remain vital, it cannot exist as a fetishized artifact; it must adapt.

A minimalist dining area with a rectangular metal table, four matching metal stools, a wooden pendant light, and beige curtains in the background.

A rectangular pendant light hangs above a wooden table with four matching stools, set against cream-colored curtains.

Working closely with FLOS’s research and development team, Scarpa—now working independently following Afra’s passing in 2011—determined that the blades need no longer remain fixed. They can now rotate 360 degrees, allowing users to modulate both aperture and direction of light. In doing so, the update more precisely articulates the duo’s original intent: to shape and concentrate light as an ethereal, directional force.

A wooden pendant light fixture with a cylindrical metal accent hangs from a thin wire in front of beige curtains.

A wooden pendant light fixture with a visible black cord hangs above a metallic chair and table, with beige curtains in the background.

Pendant light with a wooden fixture and a round central metallic element, suspended by a black cord against a beige curtain background.

A modern pendant light with a round metal center and three wooden panels, suspended from a black cord against a beige curtain background.

To shop the Seki-Han collection, visit lumens.com.

Photography by Robert Rieger.

Adrian Madlener is a Brussels-born, New York-based writer specializing in collectible and sustainable design. With a particular focus on topics that exemplify the best in craft-led experimentation, he’s committed to supporting talents that push the envelope in various disciplines.

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