Schlagwörter
Apple, braun, creativity, Design, Dieter Rams, industrial design, principles, vitsœ
He is the one person you think of, when you think of modern industrial design. His designs have been revolutionary in the 60’s and 70’s and are timeless today. The influence of his work, lasts until today. Dieter Rams.
He was chef designer for Braun and for Vitsœ. His works are famous until today, like the record player SK4 („Schneewitchensarg“) for Braun or the 606 Universal Shelving System by Vitsœ in 1960. It was always about the perfect interaction of form and functionality – today we say User Experience (UX). He is maybe the biggest influence for Apple’s todays design under Jonathan Ive.
This is the immortal legacy of Dieter Rams. His „ten principles for good design“ are famous and every designer – not matter is fashion design, print design, industrial design, screen-design – needs to know them. Especially if he wants to break them.
„The ten principles for good design“
Good design is innovative
The possibilities for innovation are not, by any means, exhausted. Technological development is always offering new opportunities for innovative design. But innovative design always develops in tandem with innovative technology, and can never be an end in itself.
Good design makes a product useful
A product is bought to be used. It has to satisfy certain criteria, not only functional, but also psychological and aesthetic. Good design emphasises the usefulness of a product whilst disregarding anything that could possibly detract from it.
Good design is aesthetic
The aesthetic quality of a product is integral to its usefulness because products we use every day affect our person and our well-being. But only well-executed objects can be beautiful.
Good design makes a product understandable
It clarifies the product’s structure. Better still, it can make the product talk. At best, it is self-explanatory.
Good design is unobtrusive
Products fulfilling a purpose are like tools. They are neither decorative objects nor works of art. Their design should therefore be both neutral and restrained, to leave room for the user’s self-expression.
Good design is honest
It does not make a product more innovative, powerful or valuable than it really is. It does not attempt to manipulate the consumer with promises that cannot be kept.
Good design is long-lasting
It avoids being fashionable and therefore never appears antiquated. Unlike fashionable design, it lasts many years – even in today’s throwaway society.
Good design is thorough, down to the last detail
Nothing must be arbitrary or left to chance. Care and accuracy in the design process show respect towards the consumer.
Good design is environmentally-friendly
Design makes an important contribution to the preservation of the environment. It conserves resources and minimises physical and visual pollution throughout the lifecycle of the product.
Good design is as little design as possible
Less, but better – because it concentrates on the essential aspects, and the products are not burdened with non-essentials.
Back to purity, back to simplicity.
Some works of Dieter Rams for Braun & Vitsœ:
Sources:
http://www.vitsoe.com/en/gb/about/dieterrams/gooddesign
http://blogrizzard.blogspot.com/2009/08/braun-vs-apple-inspiration-or.html
http://www.netzwelt.de/news/88137-oeffnung-ausstellung-apples-design-hamburg.html