Dieter Rams Flashcards
Who is dieter rams?
A german functionalist designer who has a big impact on product design in the second half of the 20th century
What is Dieter Rams known for?
His simple approach to design and his ten-key design principles. Many modern designers have been influenced by him
Who did Dieter Rams work with early in his career?
Hans Gugelot, a product designer and lecturer at the Ulm school in Germany. He also worked for the German manufacturer Bruan
What did Dieter Rams and Braun do for consumer electronics?
They moved away from decorative wooden cases and created functional, minimal designs in white and grey. This was similar to what the Bahuas did for furniture
Can you name an example of a product that shows Dieter Rams’ design approach?
The SK4 radio set
What technological developments were important to Dieter Rams’ designs?
The transistor and thermoplastics
What is the first principle of good design according to Dieter Rams?
Good design is innovative. It uses new materials, tech and ideas to solve design problems
What does it mean for a good design to be useful?
The product must work well and solve the problem it is meant to fix
How does Dieter Rams describe good design in terms of aesthetics?
Good design is aesthetics. As a functionalist, he believed “form follows function”, meaning how it looks depends on what it needs to do and who it is for.
What makes good design understandable?
You should be able to easily figure out how to use it without many instructions. How it looks should make its use clear
What does it mean for good design to be unobtrusive?
The design should not be distracting. Its form should come from its function, and it shouldn’t have extra decorations just for looks
How can a product be “honest” in its design?
It should be what it appears to be. e.g. a table of solid wood shouldn’t look like it’s just covered with a thin layer of wood (veneer)
What does “good design has longevity” mean?
A well-designed product should stay relevant and useful for a long time, not just be a passing trend
What does it mean for good design to be thorough down to the last detail?
Every single part of the product, even the small things like texture on a battery cover, should be carefully designed
How is good design environmentally friendly?
The impact of the environment is important, from the materials used to how it’s made, used, and eventually disposed of
What is the final principle: “Good design is as little design as possible” mean ?
It focuses on the essential parts and avoids anything unnecessary. It’s all about keeping it simple and minimal.
