Flos Arco Floor Lamp with marble base

Flos Arco is the floor lamp designed in 1962 by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, one of the most recognisable pieces in Italian design. It pairs a white Carrara marble base, which acts as a counterweight, with a stainless steel and aluminium arched arm over two metres long that brings light to the centre of the room without any work on the ceiling. The hole in the base lets you move the lamp by sliding a broom handle through it: a practical detail that has become part of the product's identity.

Arco solves a specific problem: getting the effect of a pendant light where drilling the ceiling isn't possible or wanted. It's the classic choice for lighting a dining table in the living room or creating a reading spot beside the sofa, and it works equally well in showrooms, lobbies and contract interiors. At 2,400 mm tall with a long cantilevered arm, it needs clear floor space for the base and roughly 2.2 metres of depth.

The Castiglioni brothers' design

The starting question was simple: how do you bring light over the table without touching the electrical system? The answer is an arm that "suspends" itself from a floor-standing support placed away from the point being lit. For it to work, the weight of the marble and the reach of the arm have to balance exactly — and that structural balance is why Arco is still studied in design schools today.

Why choose the original Flos

Arco is among the most copied design pieces in the world. The Flos original stands apart for its selected Carrara marble, the machining of the arm and the proportions defined by the Castiglionis, which ensure correct weight distribution and long-term structural stability. Reproductions rarely meet these tolerances, with consequences for balance and safety.

Frequently asked questions about Flos Arco

Is the bulb included?
No. The lamp holder is E27 (E26 for the US market), compatible with 100–240 V and therefore with all major international standards.

Where can it be positioned?
In the living room over the dining table or beside the sofa, but also in showrooms, offices and contract spaces. It needs clear floor space for the base and around 2.2 m of reach for the arm.

How do you move it?
The marble base is heavy to keep the arm stable. The hole at its centre of gravity lets two people lift it with a broom handle, with no tools required.

Is it compatible with LED bulbs?
Yes, it takes LED bulbs with an E27 fitting. For the polished aluminium shade we recommend a warm colour temperature, between 2700 and 3000 K.

Is there an integrated LED version?
Yes, Arco led with a marble base and integrated LED source. This page refers to the classic model with the marble base.