The Oddly Fascinating Quest to Design the Perfect Desk Lamp
British engineer George Carwardine designed the first balanced-arm lamp, the 1227 Anglepoise, in the early 1930s. But it's the the Luxo L-1, created by Norwegian designer Jac Jacobsen in 1937, that everyone remembers. Its exposed springs, jointed armature, and bulbous shade have inspired countless imitators, including Pixar's adorable mascot. As iconic as it is, the lamp's mechanical conceit is played out. Seth Murray and Bret Recor, the founders of San Francisco design studio Box Clever, wanted to create something with the versatility of a spring-balanced lamp in a dramatically simpler package. Two years, one spinoff studio, and untold hours of prototyping later, they've released the FADE Task Light---and it's a beauty. WIRED asked them to walk us through their design process. Here's what they showed us.