Greatest of Industrial Designer : Dieter Rams

Greatest of Industrial Designer : Dieter Rams

Dieter Rams

Dieter Rams, an industrial designer in German. Born 20 may 1932, in Wiesbaden, Hessen, German. He had closely associated with German consumer  product company Braun and the Funtionalist school of industrial design."Less, but better."was his design concept.


He was study at  architecture and interior decoration at Wiesbaden School of Art in 1947 and graduated in 1953. He was work for architect Otto Apel for a short term, and then he join to the Braun company as a architect and an interior designer. Became the Chiet Design Officer in 1961 at Braun until 1995. Was designed many memorable product for Braun including famous SK-4 record player and D-series(D45, D46)of 35mm film slide projector. He was also known for designing a furniture collection for Vitsœ in 1960s including the 606 Universal Shelving System and 620 Chair Programme. Most of Rams's furniture and electricity product design were keep in the muzeums, including muzuem in New York. Retired in 1998. In 2010, he was awarded the 'Kölner Klopfer' prize by the students of the Cologne International School of Design and in 2009 awarded the great design prize in Australia.

Vitsœ, British Furniture Company

Braun,  Manufacturing company

10 Principle of Design by Rams

 What is Good Design

Is innovative - The possibilities for progression are not, by any means, exhausted. Technological development is always offering new opportunities for original designs. But imaginative design always develops in tandem with improving technology, and can never be an end in itself.







TP 1 radio/phono combination, 1959, by Dieter Rams for Braun


Makes a product useful - A product is bought to be used. It has to satisfy not only functional, but also psychological and aesthetic criteria. Good design emphasizes the usefulness of a product whilst disregarding anything that could detract from it.

MPZ 21 multipress citrus juicer,

1972, by Dieter Rams and Jürgen Greubel for Braun

Is aesthetic - The aesthetic quality of a product is integral to its usefulness because products are used every day and have an effect on people and their well-being. Only well-executed objects can be beautiful.








RT 20 tischsuper radio, 1961, by Dieter Rams for Braun

Makes a product understandable - It clarifies the product’s structure. Better still, it can make the product clearly express its function by making use of the user's intuition. At best, it is self-explanatory.

T 1000 world receiver, 1963, by Dieter Rams for Braun

Is unobtrusive - 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.








Cylindric T 2 lighter, 1968, by Dieter Rams for Braun

Is honest - It does not make a product appear more innovative, powerful or valuable than it really is. It does not attempt to manipulate the consumer with promises that cannot be kept.

L450 flat loudspeaker, 

TG 60 reel-to-reel tape recorder and TS 45 control unit, 1962-64, 

by Dieter Rams for Braun

Is long-lasting - It avoids being fashionable and therefore never appears antiquated. Unlike fashionable design, it lasts many years – even in today's throwaway society.








620 Chair Programme, 1962, by Dieter Rams for Vitsœ

Is thorough down to the last detail - Nothing must be arbitrary or left to chance. Care and accuracy in the design process show respect towards the consumer.

ET 66 calculator, 1987, by Dietrich Lubs for Braun

Is environmentally friendly - Design makes an important contribution to the preservation of the environment. It conserves resources and minimizes physical and visual pollution throughout the lifecycle of the product.








606 Universal Shelving System, 1960, by Dieter Rams for Vitsœ

Is as little design as possible - Less, but better – because it concentrates on the essential aspects, and the products are not burdened with non-essentials. Back to purity, back to simplicity.

L 2 speaker, 1958, by Dieter Rams for Braun