Tab Lamp by Edward Barber & Jay Osgerby

Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby is an East London based studio founded in 1996, after studying architecture together at the Royal College of Art.

Barber and Osgerby’s approach is characterised by its emphasis on experimentation and innovation and an exploratory attitude to materiality and colour.  

The Tab Lamp design consists of a simple stand and base, with a folded aluminium shade. A ceramic reflector added beneath the shade reduced glare, provided a softer, warmer light. The first iteration was superseded by an LED version, removing the need for the reflector, while also giving an extremely long product life. 3

 

The versatile design allows for adjustment of the direction of the light, which can be used as a table lamp, but also angled towards a wall to produce diffused, ambient light. The range comprises two table lamps – one single and one double-headed – as well as a floor standing version. 

The Tab Lamp is now held in the permanent collections of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Indianapolis Museum of Art.