AT 1812, INSPIRATION OFTEN EMERGES FROM DISCIPLINES FAR BEYOND FASHION. ARCHITECTURE, SCULPTURE AND INDUSTRIAL DESIGN ALL SHAPE HOW WE UNDERSTAND PROPORTION, RESTRAINT AND LONGEVITY. AMONG THE MOST IMPORTANT DESIGNERS OF THE MODERN ERA IS DIETER RAMS. HIS WORK REPRESENTS A RARE COMBINATION OF DISCIPLINE, CLARITY AND MORAL RESPONSIBILITY IN DESIGN.
DIETER RAMS WAS BORN IN 1932 IN WIESBADEN, GERMANY. HE JOINED BRAUN IN 1955 AND BECAME THE DEFINING VOICE BEHIND ITS PRODUCT DESIGN, CREATING RADIOS, RECORD PLAYERS, CALCULATORS AND KITCHEN APPLIANCES THAT REDEFINED HOW EVERYDAY OBJECTS COULD LOOK AND FUNCTION. CENTRAL TO HIS PHILOSOPHY IS A PRINCIPLE THAT HAS BECOME SYNONYMOUS WITH HIS WORK: LESS, BUT BETTER. HIS TEN PRINCIPLES FOR GOOD DESIGN REMAIN AS RELEVANT TODAY AS WHEN THEY WERE WRITTEN: GOOD DESIGN IS HONEST. GOOD DESIGN IS UNOBTRUSIVE. GOOD DESIGN IS LONG LASTING. GOOD DESIGN IS ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE.
FOR THE FOUNDER OF 1812, RAMS REPRESENTS A PHILOSOPHY THAT EXTENDS FAR BEYOND INDUSTRIAL DESIGN. HIS COMMITMENT TO RESTRAINT, HONESTY AND LONGEVITY ALIGNS CLOSELY WITH THE PRINCIPLES BEHIND CAREFULLY MADE OBJECTS. IN A WORLD INCREASINGLY DEFINED BY SPEED AND EXCESS, HIS WORK OFFERS A POWERFUL COUNTERPOINT. DESIGN THAT IS QUIET. DESIGN THAT LASTS. DESIGN THAT RESPECTS BOTH THE OBJECT AND THE PERSON WHO USES IT.
