In 1952, on the shores of the French Riviera, Le Corbusier built “Cabanon”: the absolute archetype of essential living. The project, executed according to the rules of the Modulor, is found just a stone’s throw away from the sea and served as a refuge for the architect in his final years. Lampe Cabanon, named after the inspired microcosm, represents a symbol of architecture, design, production, and essential living. The lampshade, made from tracing paper that the architect used, was crafted from a wartime artifact – a mortar shell carrier – found on French beaches. The lamp, for which numerous sketches and designs exist, represents a moment of rebirth in the post-war world.
“Our eyes are made to see forms in light; light and shade reveal these forms; cubes, cones, spheres, cylinders or pyramids are the great primary forms which light reveals to advantage; the image of these is distinct and tangible within us without ambiguity. It is for this reason that these are beautiful forms, the most beautiful forms”.