Edward Barber & Jay Osgerb

Barber and Osgerby began their collaboration in 1996, after having obtained a master’s degree in architecture at the Royal College of Art in London. Their early works were created by bending and forming sheets of material, and were influenced by the white paper they used to make small models while they were still studying architecture. The first extensive monography devoted to them was published by Rizzoli New York in 2011. They have developed collections for major international companies including Cappellini, B & B Italia, Flos, Vitra and Knoll and their works are part of permanent collections in museums around the world, such as the V&A and the Design Museum in London, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the Art Institute in Chicago.

Barber and Osgerby’s research-led practice has developed collections for Vitra, B&B Italia, Venini, Cappellini, Magis, Swarovski, Flos and Established & Sons, whilst also producing edition furniture and one-off works for both private and public commissions.

Both Honorary Doctors of Arts, Barber and Osgerby have lectured internationally and hosted workshops at Ecal, Switzerland, and the Vitra Design Museum. Their work is held in permanent collections around the world including the V&A Museum, London; New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art; London’s Design Museum; and the Art Institute of Chicago. Alongside their eponymous studio, in 2001 Barber and Osgerby founded Universal Design Studio, now recognised as one of the world’s most innovative creative design consultancies working in architecture, interiors and exhibition design. In 2012, the pair followed this with the launch of MAP, a strategy-based industrial design studio that draws on the creative and commercial skills of BarberOsgerby to provide design intuition, creative direction and research to ambitious clients.

Select awards:

• 2013 Maison & Objet: Designers of the Year
• 2013 German Design Award, Tip Ton
• 2013 Wallpaper* Design Awards: Designer of the Year (Shortlisted)
• 2013 Wallpaper* Design Awards: Best Dining Table, Tobi Ishi
• 2013 Design Guild Mark, Tip Ton
• 2013 Design Guild Mark, Knoll Collection
• 2012 Design Museum: Design of the Year, London Olympic Torch
• 2012 Design Museum: Product Design of the Year, London Olympic Torch
• 2012 World Technology Award for Design
• 2012 D&AD Yellow Pencil (Product Design), Tip Ton
• 2012 Icon Magazine Awards: Design Studio of the Year
• 2012 Elle Decoration British Design Award, London Olympic Torch
• 2012 Conde Nast Traveller Innovation & Design Award, London Olympic Torch
• 2012 Design Week Award (Furniture Design), Tip Ton
• 2011 The Chicago Athenaeum: GOOD DESIGN Award, Tip Ton
• 2011 FX Design Awards: Product of the Year, Tip Ton
• 2010 FX Design Awards: Best Museum/Exhibition Space (Finalist), Sony
• 2010 Design Museum Designs of the Year (Finalist), Sony
• 2009 Wallpaper*: Best Floor Lamp, Tab
• 2008 Wallpaper*: Best Domestic Product, Bottle Table
• 2007 Royal Designers for Industry
• 2007 Elle Decoration Magazine: Designer of the Year
• 2006 Design Basel/Miami: Designers of the Future with Established & Sons
• 2006 Red Dot Award: Best Product, Zero-In
• 2006 Homes & Gardens Classic Design Awards, Zero-In
• 2005 Blueprint Magazine: Furniture Designer of Year
• 2004 Jerwood Prize for Applied Arts
• 2004 ADI Compassod’Oro Nomination, Shell Table
• 2004 Design Week Awards: Best Furniture Design
• 2003 FX Design Awards: Product of the Year, Stella McCartney ceramic tile
• 2003 ID Magazine Design Awards, Stella McCartney ceramic tile
• 2001 Victoria & Albert Museum Design Awards, Home table
• 1998 ICFF Editors Award: Best New Designer