Gubi PD2 Floor Lamp, 1955

PD2 floor lamp by Barba Corsini and Joaquim Ruiz Millet for Gubi.

In 1955, Barba Corsini was asked to remodel the attics of La Pedrera in Barcelona, the infamous building designed by Antoni Gaudí. Previously used as a laundry room and a storage area, Corsini converted the space into 13 modern apartments decorated with his own designs.

When designing the PD2 floor lamp, Corsini was inspired by the building itself, taking inspiration from the vaulted ceilings to create the base of the light and looking to the chimneys to develop the cylindrical form and perforated details of the lampshade.

In 1991, the loft space of La Pedrera was restored according to Gaudí’s original vision. Most of Corsini’s design was torn down and disposed of during the renovation, but the architect and gallerist Joaquim Ruiz Millet located the PD2 Floor Lamp and saved it from being thrown away. This led to Ruiz Millet and Corsini collaborating and recreating Corsini’s original designs.