Ingo Maurer, the German industrial designer whose playful and unexpected creations earned him the nickname “Poet of Light”, passed away last October 21st. at the age of 87.

In 1960 he escaped a divided Germany and lived between New York and San Francisco for three years while working as a graphic designer and art director for a small advertising agency. But his career didn't fully take off until 1966, when he created one of his most well-known designs, Bulb, which is part of the permanent collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).

His relentless experimentation with new shapes, materials and technologies helped him create an array of masterpieces, such as Ya Ya Ho, Lucellino and Porca Miseria.

Below a selection of our favorite five.