Barber Osgerby

Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby were both born in England in 1969 and together they founded the Barber Osgerby multidisciplinary design studio in London in 1996. Prior to their meeting, Barber studied interior design at Leeds Metropolitan University in the north of England, earning his Bachelor’s degree in 1991, while Osgerby completed his Bachelor’s degree in furniture and product design at London’s Ravensbourne College in 1992. The pair met on their first day of school at the Royal College of Art in London, embarking on their Master’s degrees in architecture (both graduated in 1994).

Barber Osgerby studio is known for its use of color, and the research-led practice serves clients such as Vitra, Established & Sons, B&B Italia, Cappellini, Swarovski, Sony, and Flos, as well as private and public commissions. Their work spans furniture, lighting, and product design, art, and architectural projects. Notable designs include the Loop Table for Isokon (1997), the Stencil Screen (2000), the Tip Ton chair for Vitra (2011), and the 2012 London Olympic Torch, among others. Their work is held in permanent collections across the globe, including the Art Institute of Chicago; the Victoria & Albert Museum, London; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; and the Design Museum, London.

In addition to their eponymous studio, in 2001, Barber and Osgerby founded Universal Design Studio, which specializes in architecture, interiors, and exhibition design. In 2012, they launched MAP, a strategy-based industrial design studio.

The duo was awarded the Jerwood Applied Arts Prize in 2004. In 2007, Elle Decoration named the partnership Designer of the Year; in 2012, Icon Magazine named them Design Studio of the Year; and in 2013, Maison & Objet named them Designers of the Year.