The first architect lamp saw the light of day in the 1920s, when it was invented by Bernard Albin-Gras. His work lamp with its adjustable arm and ball joint was a revolutionary invention. It was placed in offices, workrooms, labs, and other places in need of an amazing work light. Before long, the lamp had become popular with architects, hence the name of the Architect lamp. Bernard later sold the rights to his lamp, which went into product as the Gras lamp. Some of the Gras lamps were relaunched by three Frenchmen in 2008, when Lampe Gras was founded.
The flexible ball joint was exchanged for the spring combination we all know and love in 1932. The man behind the change was the British engineer George Carwadine. In 1934, the lamp went into production as the ”Anglepoise 1203”, followed by the more elegant ”Anglepoise 1227”. The latter was relaunched in 2003 and is now produced and sold as the ”Original 1227”.
These days, the architect lamp can be seen in all sorts of workplaces, but it has also found its way into private homes. The flexible arm has come into use as a reading lamp, night light, and a practical solution above workspaces in the kitchen and desks in children’s rooms.