The British designer Jay Osgerby believes in designing rigorously simple objects that are deeply felt and, hopefully, appreciated for generations to come. As the co-founder of the London-based industrial studio Barber Osgerby, Jay and his partner in the firm, Edward Barber, emphasize experimentation, innovation, and a material- and craft-forward design approach to their products, furniture, architecture, and interiors. Across their nearly 30-year history as a studio, Barber Osgerby has taken a “fewer, better things” approach and along the way built a rich and varied body of work that includes the 2012 London Olympics torch, a commemorative £2 coin (2012), a Victoria and Albert Museum installation with BMW (2014), Vitra’s Tip Ton chair (2011), and paper lanterns crafted by Ozeki & Co. in Gifu, Japan. Each project exudes clarity, calm, and consideration—and always a sense of character. 

On this episode of Time Sensitive, Osgerby shares his optimistic views on A.I. as a means toward more people engaging in craft and handwork; considers what his years inside factories and surrounded by craftspeople have taught him about human ingenuity; and reflects on objects as vessels for memory, history, and soul.

[07:01] 2012 London Olympics torch

[07:01]£2 coin (2012)

[12:41]Design Museum in Tallinn, Estonia