Dieter Rams

1932—

In the realm of industrial design, few names command as much respect and admiration as Dieter Rams. His profound influence, original thinking, and pioneering work, particularly at Braun and Vitsœ, have firmly established him as a titan of modern design. His personal preferences, from jazz music to whisky bars, and his wife’s significant influence, added an intriguing dimension to his life and work.

Born in Wiesbaden, Germany, in 1932, Rams’ journey into design started at the Werkkunstschule Wiesbaden, where he studied architecture. His career trajectory took a significant turn in 1955 when he was recruited by the consumer products company Braun. Working closely with the Braun brothers, Rams would eventually become the company’s lead designer, a position he held for over three decades.

Dieter Rams’s 1955 sketch, courtesy Vitsœ

“Away from the drafting table, Rams was known for his affinity for whisky bars and jazz music, especially Miles Davis.”

However, Rams’ influence wasn’t limited to his work at Braun. Along with Danish furniture dealer Niels Vitsœ, he co-founded the furniture company Vitsœ in 1959. This venture allowed Rams to expand his design philosophy beyond electronic goods to furniture, championing his principles of simplicity, functionality, and durability.

Vitsœ became a platform for Rams to articulate his “less, but better” approach to design, epitomised in products like the 606 Universal Shelving System. This modular, adaptable shelving system reflected Rams’ commitment to creating products that were simple, useful, and built to last. It also showcased his original thinking – the notion that good design should be as little design as possible, a philosophy that was ahead of its time.

Away from the drafting table, Rams was known for his affinity for whisky bars and jazz music, especially Miles Davis. These preferences provide insight into his personality and indirectly, his design ethos. The improvisation, harmony, and complex structures inherent in jazz likely resonated with Rams’ own design sensibilities. Much like a jazz musician, Rams’ design approach was about creating harmonious relationships between different elements, resulting in a well-orchestrated, seamless user experience.

Vitsœ Tokyo

A significant influence on Rams’ life and work was his wife, Ingeborg Kracht-Rams. As an interior designer and architect herself, Ingeborg shared Rams’ passion for simplicity and functionality in design. Their shared aesthetic sensibilities and collaborative partnership played a crucial role in shaping Rams’ design philosophy. Ingeborg’s work, characterised by unpretentious elegance and careful attention to detail, mirrored Rams’ own approach and undoubtedly influenced his perspective on design.

Dieter Rams’ impact on the world of design is immeasurable. His Ten Principles of Good Design – a set of guidelines prioritising simplicity, functionality, and longevity – have become a design canon, influencing a generation of designers, including Apple’s Jonathan Ive. From Braun to Vitsœ, Rams’ designs have changed the way we interact with products, emphasising usability and aesthetic simplicity over unnecessary features and ornamentation.

An original thinker, Rams redefined the very essence of design, favouring clarity and usefulness over the superfluous. His philosophy continues to shape design discourse, reminding us of the inherent value of designing products that are not only beautiful but also enhance our everyday lives. His personal preferences and the influence of his wife add layers to our understanding of this iconic designer, painting a picture of a man whose life, like his designs, was characterised by simplicity, harmony, and a deep appreciation for functionality. In the world of design, Dieter Rams stands as a beacon of original thinking, his enduring legacy a testament to the power of simplicity and the art of less.

620 Chair Programme and 606 Universal Shelving System, courtesy Vitsœ