Formel 1 by Hans Due for Fog & Mørup, 1973

If the 1950s and 60s belonged to teak wood and organic forms of nature, the 1970s brought a new language. This was the era when humanity looked upward—to space, to technology, to the future. The Formel lamps are a distinct product of that technological optimism: design born from the belief that speed and innovation could take humanity anywhere. Fog & Mørup were the "Apple" of the lighting world in the 1970s. They weren't just lamp manufacturers; they were branding pioneers. Their catalogs were almost works of art, and their standards were uncompromising. To this end, they hired designer Hans Due as creative director. He came from the world of graphics and illustration, never having worked with raw materials before. This is immediately apparent. His lamps look as if they were drawn: sharp, geometric, so minimalist that the material almost disappears behind the idea. In the spirit of the times, he didn't think about flowers or leaves; he looked at engine pistons, race car exhausts, and spacecraft turbines. The lamps are made of aluminum, the light and strong material used by the aircraft and space industries. Their form is aerodynamic, sharp, almost moving through air even when standing still. But here lies the Danish magic: to balance the industrial look and bring it into the home, the lamps received a brushed brass finish. Unlike the eye-blinding gold of Europe, Danish brass softens the form. It gives the lamp a warm "skin," transforms the light quality to caressing and domestic, and creates a beautiful meeting between machine and living, warm material. In the late 1970s, the iconic brand merged and disappeared, making original models particularly rare. Most fifty-year-old brass pieces suffer from stains and darkening, but this pair is a preservation miracle. The lamps look as if they just came out of the factory box from Copenhagen 1973. Suitable above a rectangular dining table, above a kitchen island, or as a pair of reading lamps beside the bed.

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