Tei is a task lamp inspired by the Bauhaus movement's principle of "truth to function through form." This lamp is the product of a collaborative class project involving 24 students and was realized through an iterative process of visualization, prototyping, screening, and continual design review. The final design was then manufactured in a batch production of 28 identical lamps, boxed and ready for commercial release.

The lamp’s distinctive form and heterogeneous architecture provide a performative quality to its adjustment: the push of the adjusting handle, the rotation of a roller across an arc of travel, raising and lowering the lighting element. A curiosity and delight in the transfer of motion are experienced.

The tactility of the lamp's operation is enhanced by its materiality. American ash provides a complementary pairing with aluminum extrusions. These components are accentuated by an arc of painted steel, for which three colorways were selected to imbue personality. Steel was used for its weight density to balance the cantilevered light source, while maintaining a light aesthetic touch. The light is activated by a button placed just above the handle, thus all contact points are within easy reach of each other.

Tei achieves a comfortable geometric arrangement through careful consideration of line weight and proportion. Inspiration was drawn from graphic design and its two-dimensional layering of form.

A commitment to longevity was integral to Tei’s design strategy. Its construction is clear and understandable, so disassembly for repair is intuitive. This strategy supported economical batch manufacturability, allowing for the replacement of components without rendering the product damaged or unrecoverable.