Bilia

The Bilia lamp was designed by the renowned Italian architect Gio Ponti in 1932 for Fontana Arte, one of the most cutting-edge Italian lighting companies of the time (and which continues to maintain its status as a major producer of Italian design today).

Bilia is a classic of Italian design from the first half of the 20th century, as its composition encapsulates Gio Ponti’s entire artistic vision.

Like magic, pure geometric forms such as the cone and sphere come together to create an object of great formal elegance. The contrast between the two shapes and the balance of proportions, combined with the choice of non-reflective materials, led to the creation of a timeless classic that remains highly successful to this day.

In terms of colors and materials, Ponti designed two versions of the lamp, both with a metal base, either in nickel or brass. The spherical diffuser is made of white satin-finished blown glass, and the light it emits further enhances the compositional perfection of this design object.

Over the years, FontanaArte has continued to produce the Bilia lamp without interruption (except for breaks during wartime), demonstrating the enduring popularity of the product, which ranks among the long-sellers of Italian design. Over time, the production techniques and materials for the Bilia lamp have evolved to meet contemporary sustainability standards.

When designing Bilia, Gio Ponti also envisioned a smaller-scale version with a range of “spray-painted colors.” Based on these sketches, FontanaArte now also produces the Bilia Mini, a smaller version with a metal base in, contemporary colors.