TMM Floor Lamp by Miguel Milá, 1961

TMM Floor Lamp by Miguel Milá for Santa & Cole.

The TMM's depth lies in its simplicity. Perhaps the TMM is the most highly acclaimed piece from one of Spain’s leading pioneering masters of industrial design. The TMM was part of Miguel Milá’s first collection for TRAMO, the company he founded to produce his work in post-war Spain. Furthermore, he dabbled in a profession that he would later master—that of a pre-industrial designer seeking convenient solutions with the technology available. Milá’s words, like his pieces, have an incredible depth that lies beneath their simplicity. Therefore, the TMM is the more laid-back version of the TM family and features a wooden shaft. However, in an exquisite demonstration of formal serenity and functional efficiency, Miguel Milá brilliantly separated the three essential components of any lamp: the structure, the electrical components, and the shade. All are easily assembled and maintained throughout their very long life. In addition, this becomes ever more beautiful with time. A cross-shaped base supports a square shaft that becomes circular in the middle. Therefore, it allows the shade to be moved up and down. The shade’s height is adjustable via a rubber band stopper. Furthermore, using minimal components is a genuine lesson in intelligence and good taste. This was Miguel Milá’s first product that Santa & Cole re-released in 1986, 25 years after its creation. It comes in five different kinds of wood for the structure and two shade colors, white or beige.