Dieter Rams: Looking Back and Ahead

In the second half of the 20th century German industrial designer Dieter Rams designed over 350 products for Braun and Vitsœ that are used by people throughout the world on a daily basis and that continue to exert substantial influence on young designers. Rams was not only interested in the form of these utilitarian objects, but in many lectures and publications he reflected the significance of such products for individuals and society as a whole.

In these times of heightened problems relating to the use of resources and the environment, his work is more current than ever. His works were fundamental to the design ethos that he himself described as “less, but better.” In 1970s Rams consistently argued in favor of designing objects to enable their longest possible use. What today is discussed as the aesthetics of function was already practiced by Rams and his teams many decades ago. One of his theses states: “Good design is environmentally friendly. Design makes an important contribution towards preserving the environment. Saving resources and minimizing physical and visual pollution are thus encompassed by product design.”

How should we continue to design our world, so that it can survive? On the basis of around 30 objects selected by Dieter Rams as well as 50 photographs, reproductions and texts, he attempts to provide answers to this question in the exhibition.

Director: Matthias Wagner K
Curator: Klaus Klemp in collaboration with Dieter Rams
Organizer of the exhibition: Dieter und Ingeborg Rams Stiftung
Press contact: Natali-Lina Pitzer / T +49 (0)69 212 75339