Lighting must be decorative and aesthetic, but also accessible and functional. The right balance is no easy feat for a designer. Here, we celebrate a design that seems to embody this principle of balance perfectly.

Originally designed in 2014 by the great Spanish architect, Carlos Ferrater of Office of Architecture in Barcelona (OAB), the CF Lamp is a design that perfectly balances form and function. The lamp’s strict form is one of straight lines and a continuous thin frame. It is an LED lamp with as little design as possible. A contemporary yet timeless creation with a consideration of the past, CF is available in two variations—a floor lamp and desk lamp.

The CF Lamp takes advantage of the reflection of the material itself and integrates the luminaire, reflector, and technology into a single line. Therefore, it looks to solve old problems regarding table lighting. The proximity of the lamp to the person, about 20 to 40 cm, makes it an object that falls within your intimate radius, thus appreciating its strict functionality, its formal and geometric rigour, and its simple yet sophisticated construction. Ferrater explains:

It has changed my life personally in terms of how I work, whether it be writing and drawing sketches by hand, without being disturbed by its light when I use tablets, computer screens, or mobiles. That is why I designed it.

The floor lamp will perfectly accompany a lounge chair to create a relaxed reading environment—an idyllic setting for a quiet evening. Whereas the table lamp will sit beautifully on a desk and offer just enough light to allow you to work efficiently.

The CF Lamp is minimal in design and simple in function. A combination we always appreciate and look to celebrate.

In 2005 Carlos, together with his children Borja and Lucía Ferrater, plus his son-in-law Xavier Martí-Galí, decided to set up a new collective platform, OAB. The structure of OAB is prepared for working in many different contexts, on the permanent understanding that architecture stems from roots that have to do with the tradition of the places one works in and by always showing respect towards the physical aspects of the location or those relative to the social organisation of the programmes.

OAB has enabled us to experiment in different areas of architectural endeavour—buildings of varying sizes, public spaces, interior spaces, ephemeral installations, or themes to do with landscape—thus facilitating, at the same time, the internationalisation of part of the work of the studio.