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Elio Martinelli: The Enlightened Founder of Italian Design
A pioneer of lighting design in Italy, Elio Martinelli founded Martinelli Luce in the 1950s with remarkable intuition: to create lighting fixtures that are as functional as they are aesthetically pleasing.
COBRA
BICONICA
GOMITO
MICO
SEMISFERA
NUVOLE BAGABONDE
BLOW
Gae Aulenti – Timeless Iconoclasm
Born in 1927 in Palazzolo della Stella (Udine), Gae Aulenti became one of the most influential Italian architects and designers of the 20th century. A graduate of the Politecnico di Milano in 1953, she forged her professional path across Florence, Turin, and especially Milan, working across architectural, interior, industrial, and theatrical design.
From 1955 to 1965, she was part of the editorial board of Casabella-Continuità under the direction of Ernesto Rogers, helping to define the architectural discourse of the time.
Her architectural works include some of the most iconic renovations of major cultural institutions: the Musée d’Orsay in Paris (1980–86), the new layout of the Centre Pompidou’s Musée National d’Art Moderne (1982–85), and the renovation of Palazzo Grassi in Venice (1985–86). These achievements positioned her as an authority on cultural spaces and their experiential dimensions.
In parallel, Aulenti developed product designs that enhanced the environments she created – most notably, the Pipistrello lamp (1965), designed for the Olivetti boutiques in Paris and Buenos Aires. The lamp, now a symbol of modern lighting design, perfectly illustrates her philosophy: a product is never purely decorative but always an architectural complement to its space.
In 2005, she founded Gae Aulenti Architetti Associati, continuing her work at the highest level until her passing.
Her contribution to Martinelli Luce, through the Pipistrello, transcends its function. It embodies the brand’s DNA: sculptural presence, technical ingenuity, and an unwavering modernity that still feels contemporary today.
COLLECTION PIPISTRELLO
Emiliana Martinelli – The Inheritor of Light and Form
Always accompanied by a sketchbook and pencil, Emiliana Martinelli captures fleeting inspirations—shadows, forms, and moods that spark her creative process.
A graduate of the Lucques School of Art in ceramics, and later in industrial design and architecture from ISIA Florence, Emiliana joined the family business right after her studies. Working closely with her father, Elio Martinelli, she helped shape the aesthetic language of Martinelli Luce across decades.
Today, she is the company’s president, creative director, and entrepreneurial force. She designs lighting for both domestic and contract spaces, many of which have gained international recognition. Her work embodies a deep connection to nature, geometry, and the tactile pleasure of making.
A multidisciplinary talent, Emiliana curates Martinelli Luce’s presence at design fairs, leads collaborations with major international designers, and mentors young creatives through partnerships with design academies and institutions. Her collaborative work with industry greats like Gae Aulenti, Sergio Asti, Paolo Orlandini, and Marc Sadler reflects her openness and leadership within the field.
Her designs are fluid yet rigorous—often inspired by round forms, natural rhythms, and a fascination with technology. Emiliana’s lamps are not only functional but narrate stories through light, color, and texture.
By fostering a new generation of talent and guiding the evolution of Martinelli Luce, Emiliana ensures the company remains as vibrant and visionary as ever. Her personality—strong, imaginative, curious—shines through each creation, as she continues to expand the expressive potential of light.
AMANITA
BOLETO
Marco Ghilarducci: The Tech-Savvy Heir
Grandson of Elio Martinelli, Marco Ghilarducci embodies the link between tradition and technology. A trained engineer and passionate about IT and control systems, he designed the TX1 lamp — a perfect fusion of technical innovation and user-friendly simplicity.
With its smart light management, TX1 reflects Marco’s approach: precision, functionality, and openness to new technologies. As the leader of Martinelli Luce, he continues the family legacy with a future-focused vision.
TX1
Sergio Asti: Design as Cultural Heritage
An architect and key figure of post-war Italian design, Sergio Asti left his mark on lighting with timeless creations. For Martinelli Luce, he designed Visiere, Profiterolle, and Scafandro.
Recently reissued, Visiere perfectly embodies his style: strict geometry, quiet poetry, and absolute control of volume. His work is part of the world’s greatest museum collections, proof of his lasting impact on design.
VISIERE
PROFITEROLLE
SCAFANDRO
Simon Schmitz: The Master of Mechanical Movement
Hailing from Arnsberg, Germany’s historic lighting hub, Simon Schmitz turns light into mechanical choreography. His Martinelli Luce creations, such as Dia and Y3, reveal inner mechanics as poetic gestures.
A sculptor of light, he crafts objects suspended between raw functionality and sensitive expression. His narrative and kinetic approach brings light to life in a continuous dialogue with space.
DIA
Y3
Peluffo & Partners: Pure Emotional Architecture
Under the guidance of Gianluca Peluffo, the Peluffo & Partners studio injects emotional depth into architectural design. Inspired by Egyptian landscapes, their Lady Galala lamp is a luminous tribute to material, Mediterranean forms, and collective memory.
Here, light becomes a cultural language — an interface between nature and architecture, art and life. A rare and valuable contribution to Martinelli Luce’s universe.
LADY GALALA
Michel Boucquillon: Functional Sculpture
A Belgian architect based in Tuscany, Michel Boucquillon develops a design language that is both structured and organic. A winner of many international awards, he designed the PIN lamp for Martinelli Luce, where aluminum forms a line that is both technical and elegant.
Between architectural rationality and poetic form, Boucquillon envisions lighting as useful sculpture — a sensitive dialogue between matter, space, and light.
PIN
Orlandini Design: Rationality, Simplicity and Efficiency
This Milanese studio follows a pragmatic and pared-back approach to industrial design. For Martinelli Luce, Orlandini Design created the Clochard, Segnalibro, and Vela models — simple, accessible objects made to meet real needs.
Their strength? Transforming a clear idea into an essential form, without ever compromising comfort, production or aesthetics. A humble yet brilliantly conceived design ethos.
CLOCHARD
SEGNALIBRO
VELA