Dieter Rams
Industrial designer; head of design at Braun from 1961 to 1995; designer of Vitsœ's 606 shelving system; author of the ten principles for good design.
Dieter Rams did not write this page. ppll compiled it from their own words, each linked to the source. Is this you? · Report a mistake
What they believe
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Good design is as little design as possible: less, but better, because it concentrates on the essentials.
Less, but better – because it concentrates on the essential aspects, and the products are not burdened with non-essentials.
vitsoe.comby 3 Aug 2012This on korrents
The bold line is korrents’ wording; the quote is theirs. These one: what they wrote before what they said aloud, one per source, newest first.
Beliefs
Korrents What they believe 8 beliefs — each backed by an exact quote.
Each is a — compiled by korrents.com, not by them: the one-line wordings are korrents', the quotes are theirs.
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Good design is as little design as possible: less, but better, because it concentrates on the essentials.
Less, but better – because it concentrates on the essential aspects, and the products are not burdened with non-essentials.
Dieter Rams: ten principles for good design by 3 Aug 2012
Good design is unobtrusive: products that fulfil a purpose are tools, neither decorative objects nor works of art, and should leave room for the user's self-expression.
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.
Dieter Rams: ten principles for good design by 3 Aug 2012
Good design is honest: it does not make a product seem more innovative, powerful or valuable than it is, and does not manipulate with promises that cannot be kept.
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.
Dieter Rams: ten principles for good design by 3 Aug 2012
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Good design is long-lasting: it avoids being fashionable and therefore never appears antiquated.
It avoids being fashionable and therefore never appears antiquated. Unlike fashionable design, it lasts many years – even in today’s throwaway society.
Dieter Rams: ten principles for good design by 3 Aug 2012
Good design makes a product understandable: at best it is self-explanatory.
It clarifies the product’s structure. Better still, it can make the product talk. At best, it is self-explanatory.
Dieter Rams: ten principles for good design by 3 Aug 2012
Good design is thorough down to the last detail: nothing must be arbitrary, and care in the design process shows respect towards the user.
Nothing must be arbitrary or left to chance. Care and accuracy in the design process show respect towards the user.
Dieter Rams: ten principles for good design by 3 Aug 2012
The aesthetic quality of a product is integral to its usefulness, but only well-executed objects can be beautiful.
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.
Dieter Rams: ten principles for good design by 3 Aug 2012
Innovative design develops in tandem with innovative technology and can never be an end in itself.
But innovative design always develops in tandem with innovative technology, and can never be an end in itself.
Dieter Rams: ten principles for good design by 3 Aug 2012
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