Of all the schools and learning institutions on design in the 20th century, probably none was as influential as that of the Bahaus school in Germany. Founded by acclaimed architect/designer Walter Gropius in 1919 at Weimar, Germany, the Bahaus school was the breeding ground for the modern design movement and influenced some of the iconic modern industrial designs of the modern age. One such design is the Wagenfeld Lampe by Wilhelm Wagenfeld.

One of the most recognized industrial designers of our time, German designer Wilhelm Wagenfeld was also known as both a protégé and mentor of the Bahaus school. And one of his Bahaus-influenced designs is the Wagenfeld Lampe. Often called the “Bahaus Lamp”, the Wagenfeld Lampe is a table lamp consisting of a slender tubular stand, a rounded base, and a ball-shaped lampshade. The lamp was designed by Wagenfeld with the help of fellow designer Karl Jucker in 1924, wherein Wagenfeld was still studying as a journeyman under the guidance of renowned painter Lazlo Moholy-Nagy. The lamp prototype, as the story goes, was the solution to a project given by Nagy to Wagenfeld.

Being a product of Bahaus, the Wagenfeld Lampe exhibited the characteristics that were particularly Bahaus style: it was slim, simple, functional, and combined both fine and applied art. The lamp comes in two versions: glass and steel. In the steel version of the lamp, both the stand and the base are made from industrial grade steel. A layer of chromium plating protects the steel from scratches and gives it a glossy finish, although earlier models of the lamp were coated with nickel. These nickel-plated steel lamps are especially sought for their rarity, and can easily be distinguished by the pale yellowish patina the nickel gives off over time.

In the glass version of the Wagenfeld Lampe, on the other hand, the stand and the base is made of thick shatter-proof glass. The stand also contains a inner core made of nickel in which the electrical wiring is located, giving the lamp a distinctive “X-Ray” look. Glass Wagenfeld lamps are less common than their steel counterparts, however, as they are difficult and more expensive to manufacture. Nevertheless, both versions are fitted with an opalescent globe-shaped lampshade that is made translucent to help diffuse the light.

Because of its relatively simple construction of the Wagenfeld Lampe, both Wagenfeld and Jucker were hailed by critics to have achieved “maximum simplicity and greatest economy”. Also, it should be noted that despite being inspired by industrial products, the lamp was constructed entirely by hand. This tradition still goes on today, as modern reproductions of the Wagenfeld lamp still have its critical components handmade.