The minimalist table Tobi-Ishi was designed by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby and is manufactured by B&B Italia. Its concept derives from the idea of large ornamental stepping stones found in Japanese gardens, which represent balance and harmony. Rather than using the traditional four legs or pedestal, the Tobi-Ishi is composed of vertical trapezoidal supports set at right angles, combined with an overhanging top. This creates a sculptural figure that is both ancient and modern in its appearance and seems to shift depending on the angle of view.
The table, originally fabricated in an experimental material involving a skin of cement grout and hand-spread heft, is a design of a monumental character. Over the years, B&B Italia and Edward Barber & Jay Osgerby have updated the table in a variety of materials, such as white Carrara and black Marquina marble, and, in 2017, in two color variants of cement for outdoor use.
