Conceived in 1971 by Achille Castiglioni and Pio Manzù, the Parentesi takes its name from the parenthesis symbol, a direct reference to the nickel-plated tube that brackets a taut, floor-to-ceiling steel cable. The cable extends up to 157 inches. The tube slides freely along it, placing the lamp head at any height without tools or hardware. The lamp head is injection-molded black elastomer, chosen for its grip, resilience, and formal precision. A built-in switch is integrated into the fixture itself. The result is a lamp that makes no contact with the wall, casts direct light wherever the moment demands, and leaves almost no visual footprint in a room. Floor-to-ceiling steel cable tension system, up to 157 inches Nickel-plated tube slides vertically along the cable Injection-molded black elastomer lamp head Integrated switch within the fixture Pio Manzù died in a car accident in 1969, before the lamp entered production. Castiglioni saw the project through to completion, and the Parentesi has remained in continuous production ever since, a rare example of a design solution that has never needed revision.