10 rules for a good product from Braun designer Dieter Rams

The 606 shelving system is designed to be easily assembled from several removable units in the form of shelves, drawers and cabinets. Each element is made of aluminum and E-track profile. The original version was made of beech and the doors and drawers were made of white lacquered wood.

6. Environmental friendliness

Project 621 tables are Rams attempt to elevate the status of plastic to a noble material. All items were hand painted.

7. Minimalism

In 1965 Rams abandoned white in technique in favor of pale black. He covered the Studio 1000 system with it from all sides except the lacquered panel. The Braun technique has become more compact due to the darker tones. Rams managed to get rid of the extra screws and fasteners. Instead, he began to use aluminum tape. Regulators Rams did more, as did block switches.

Over the next 30 years, black began to dominate consumer electronics design. Rams began to use it not only for audio production, but also for the design of watches, calculators and other products. This trend towards prevailing black tones lasted until the 1970s.

8. Aesthetics

One of Rams favorite designs is the Model T2 cylindrical black lighter with magnetic ignition technology. As a smoker, Rams liked to experiment with models of lighters, he saw them as “mini-sculptures”.

9. Honesty with the consumer

“I think good designers should always be avant-garde and always be one step ahead of their time,” said Dieter Rams, speaking to the Braun board in 1980. “They have to question everything that seems obvious. They must have an intuition for changes in human preferences, for their desires, worries, needs and their habits. They must be able to realistically assess their capabilities and the boundaries of technology. “

10. Relevance

For Apple, Rams was the inspiration behind the design of the T3 transistor receiver, the company took as an example when creating the first generation iPod. Rams supported Apple s technical solutions. Firms that are serious about design can be counted on one hand, he said, and Apple is one of them.

In the documentary Objectified, Rams stated that Apple is the only company that follows Rams principles to the fullest.

“The basic design hasn t changed since we started in the 1980s,” says Rams. He has inspired many contemporary designers: Sam Hecht, Konstantin Grcic, Jony Ive and others.

For 16 years Dieter Rams taught at the Hamburg Graduate School of Fine Arts and received the title of Honorary Lecturer at the Royal College of Art in London. He was president of the German Council for Shaping.

Now 86, Rams is still coming up with new solutions. When Rams was asked what he would do if he became young again. He replied that he would be looking for new ways of producing alternative energy. According to him, windmills are useful, but they spoil the view.

Source: vc.ru