Milan 2016: Norwegian studio Kneip has designed an adjustable lamp that can be moved up and down or swivelled from side to side to change light levels.

The Gauge lamp was first created as a tool for the designers, who found themselves working on a project that required a light source that could be adjusted and moved around the work surface.

Available as a floor or table version, the design features a circular light held on a thin branch that pivots on a central steel rod, set in a cubic plaster base.

The LED light source – chosen for energy efficiency – can be rotated on the end of the stem, which also moves up and down the central support. The steel used for the lamp has been blued – a traditional method of protecting the material against rust that creates a blue-black exterior.

"The adjustable joints, design and use of materials is inspired by tools' functionality and aesthetics," said the studio.

"We chose steel because we wanted a material that had the right feeling," it added. "For us its also important that you can see traces of use over time."

The Gauge lamp was presented as part of the Structure exhibition of Norwegian design during this year's Milan design week, from 12 to 17 April 2016.

Kneip founders Jørgen Platou Willumsen and Stian Korntved Ruud have previously created several moving sculptures. The duo's Weathered series of atmospheric sensors use movement to measure and report on weather conditions, and for Vienna Design Week 2015 they created a set of motorised miniature structures.

Berlin studio Yuue design has created a similar pivoting light, featuring a globe-shaped lamp and a slider mechanism that can be used to adjust it.

Australian designer Ross Gardam has also incorporated moving elements into his lighting. The Polar desk lamp features a metallic shade that can be rotated to adjust light and shadow, and his Aura design has a magnetic shade that can be pivoted 360 degrees to be repositioned.