11 December 2019

Meet designers Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby - The Interactive Men of Mystery

Submitted by: Bronwyn

“The interaction between the design and the user,” is what motivates the dynamic duo of Barber & Osgerby; artists of critical acclaim. Their game is interaction - what the user sees, feels and experiences - and they’ve been winning for so long that we no longer check the scoreboard. They worked on the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic torch, as well as the £2 coin commemorating the 150th anniversary of the London Underground in 2013.

AXOR One

When the duo joined forces with AXOR, their first question was a real stumper: “How can the user have perfect control of the water?”Using interaction as a design principle the pair developed AXOR One, a shower that is truly one of a kind. Removing anything and everything that could be considered superfluous, Barber & Osgerby developed a shower that is 100% experience-based. The control unit is the real treat; a monolithic wall-mounted statement of sincerity. Large paddles control the shower, and the Select button allows the user to change spray types with ease. The range of spray types goes from soft, gentle and caressing to a broad band of soothing water. Control of the water temperature and volume is also found on the control unit- putting everything that you need for a great shower in one, simple placement. Finally, the AXOR One hand shower comes along for the ride; a truly special single-hand shower head with a rectangular design to compliment the simplicity of the overall package.

A brief history

Both Barber and Osgerby were born in 1969, both studied interior design and both studied product design. They made each other’s acquaintance while studying to get into the Master’s programme at the Royal College of Art in London. Their joint studio was opened in 1996 in the Trellick Tower in London, and they have worked fora number of global powerhouse brands. They have won many awards, including an OBE (Order of the British Empire) and an appointment as the Royal Designers for Industry - twice!

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AXOR. Form follows perfection!

Issued By:The Lime Envelope
On Behalf Of: Hansgrohe
For Media Information: Bronwyn Levy
Telephone:011 467 9233
E-mail:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

About AXOR
AXOR develops, constructs and produces taps, showerheads and accessories for luxurious bathrooms and kitchens to perfection. At the highest aesthetic and technological levels, avantgarde, one-of-a-kind pieces and collections are created. Some of them are considered classics of bathroom design to this day. Collectively they embody the claim “Form Follows Perfection”: not ending the developmental process until nothing more can be added or removed. Pace-setting design objects have been developed with this recipe for more than twenty years with world-renowned designers, among them Philippe Starck, Antonio Citterio, Jean-Marie Massaud and Patricia Urquiola. AXOR is a brand of the Hansgrohe Group.