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Introduction Growing up during the Second World War, Rams spent most of his childhood jumping around different schools in Germany as his father’s job required him to travel constantly. During this period, Rams spent many an hour in the workshop of his paternal grandfather, who was a master woodworker. It was here that his understanding of simple, useful and honest design began to take shape. “My Grandfather had no machines. He rejected them. He preferred working alone… He took great care in selecting the wood, shaping and planing it by hand. So, in a totally natural way, something straightforward arose, which did justice to his work; I was always concerned that things should be plain, straightforward.” – Dieter Rams, (Lovell , 2011 p5) After finishing his education, Rams began working as an interior consultant, when a bet with a colleague landed him an interview at the Braun office. After a short discussion with Rams, Franz Eichler, his interviewer is quoted as saying, “our conclusion was unequivocal: he fits in with us” (Lovell, 2011 PG). He headed Braun’s product design department from 1961 to 1995. He was an integral part of the team, overseeing the design of more than 400 products during his tenure (Cooper-Hewitt, n. d.). Rams joined Braun at a significant time in its history—the company was undergoing a major shift in its ethos. Perhaps the most important event during this time was the change of its logo. On his arrival in 1952, Wolfgang Schmittel redesigned the logo, replacing the old wordmark with a fresh, grid-based design in line with the modernist ethos of the company. As renowned graphic designer Josef Müller-Brockmann noted in Grid Systems in Graphic Design (1981), working with grid systems meant submitting to the laws of universal validity. Figure 1: The old logo had the classic ‘A’, but such wordmarks were a dime a dozen during the time. Source: Logo Design Love https://www.logodesignlove.com/braun-logo Figure 2: The new logo represented the evolution of the company: distinctly different, but still recognizable. Source: Logo Design Love https://www.logodesignlove.com/braun-logo “The use of the grid system implies the will to systematize, to clarify the will to penetrate to the essentials, to concentrate the will to cultivate objectivity instead of subjectivity the will to rationalize the creative and technical production processes.” (Müller-Brockmann, 1981 p.10) “Design which is objective, committed to the common weal, well composed and refined constitutes the basis of democratic behaviour,” he notes (Müller-Brockmann, 1981 p.10). This was the purpose which fuelled not only Rams and the designers at Braun, but post-war Germany as a whole. After their defeat in the Second World War, Germany needed new housing projects which were modern and espoused the principles of democracy and freedom. They also needed products such as home appliances, radios and televisions to populate these buildings. During this time, Max Braun’s eponymous company, was hugely successful during the time. They were so popular, in fact that 60% of products in the Interbau exhibition houses were made by Braun. Driven by this success, Rams set about designing the most iconic products ranging from lighters to Hi-Fi sound systems, that address a large spectrum of human needs while keeping their manufacturing viability intact. The products engage and take advantage of our senses to help us understand and use them better: for example, the use of colour, as will be discussed later in the essay. Apart from the prolific body of work he produced for Braun, Rams also worked on some projects for other German design houses, one of which was the Vitsoe 606 shelving system. Furniture: The Vitsoe 606 The Vitsoe 606 shelving system, as British Designer Jasper Morrison describes it, is “the endgame in shelving” (Lovell, 2011 p.10 ). Designed in Germany by Dieter Rams in 1960, the system sold in markets today is almost the same as the original, with only a few changes in the production techniques to make it more efficient and sustainable. The Vitsoe 606 is called a shelving “system” because it isn’t a one size fits all solution for your needs; it is adaptable, since it is made up of components which can be combined in ways to best suit your home conditions. Figure 3: There are two bay sizes, narrow and wide, configured to best suit your wall. Source: Vitsoe.com/rw/606/structures The main parts of this system are an aluminium E-shaped track, mounted vertically on the wall, shelves or bays, which come in two sizes: wide (91.2cm) and narrow (66.7cm) and pins to hold these to the track. These widths are quite versatile, as there are 27 possible combinations for a 5m wide wall. The shelves have two holes on either side, sides which the pins slot into (see figure 4), holding the shelf securely in place. Figure 4: Exploded view of the 606’s simple shelf installation mechanism. Source: Vitsoe 606 Planning Guide The shelf comes in six colour schemes: solid colours (white, silver and black) or colours with beech wood accents (beech white, beech silver, beech black). The Vitsoe 606’s support systems are designed to be mounted in a wide range of interior conditions. There are three solutions: first is the rack mount drilled to the wall; second, the E-Track attached to an X-Post can be mounted to the wall using an adjustable-depth wall bracket; third, one can have a freestanding X-Post, compressed between the floor and ceiling, without requiring any holes to be drilled. Figure 5: The folded metal lip at the end is a recent addition which keeps things from slipping off the open edge. Source: Vitsoe Thus, the system is versatile, and gives the user some amount of flexibility in choosing how they would want their product to exist and function. The book shelf module is 34 cm deep, for holding electronics, hardbound books and 12” vinlys. It has a metal lip at the end, preventing the contents from falling accidentally (see figure 5). The itself is remarkable in its design, sustainability and economic viability. The metal is laser cut and folded from a single sheet of steel, making it easy to mass-produce, in turn reducing the selling price and material wastage. It is finished with an epoxy polyester powder coat, making it resistant to corrosion, discolouration and scratches. Not all books are created equal; keeping this in mind, the adjustable shelf height allows offers flexibility for the user. The system is multifunctional, as Vitsoe sells tables, desks, drawers, cabinets which can be mounted onto the system (Vitsoe, n.d.). The tables can be used in a sitting or standing position, due to their 74cm height, comfortable for an average human adult. Figure 6: With just an E-Track and some shelves, the 606 achieves much more, by creating a non-intrusive, functional and elegant shelving system. Source: Vitsoe Electronics: ET-66 Working with Braun’s Deputy Head of Design, Dietrich Lubs, Rams designed the ET-66 calculator in 1987 in Germany. Measuring 13.9 x 8.2 cm, the form of the calculator is informed by anthropometry, and it nestles snugly in the palm. Its rectangular body is rounded at the edges, the top corners having a shorter radius than the lower corners. Figure 7: The intuitive use of colour eliminates the need for a user manual. Source: Cooper-Hewitt website The body and the buttons are made of high quality moulded plastic (ABS Polymer), making it well-built and durable. Each button press is followed by balanced tactile feedback, the rounded edges on the keypad eliminate any hazards and the use of colour creates a visual hierarchy. Rams’ judicious and thoughtful treatment of colour illustrates his principles well: Good design makes a product understandable (Rule #4 in Rams’ 10 Principles of Design); it makes the product talk. The body of the calculator has a smooth black finish, since it is a primarily background object—used for mathematical computation, then receding quietly after its job is done. The on/off buttons are green and red respectively, thus requiring no labels; there is a solid white dot under the green, and a white circle under the red, acting as additional visual aids. Similarly, the equals button is in bright yellow, since it is the most frequently used; even its placement is deliberate, as it balances out the plain white Braun logo on the top left. Another notable aspect of the ET66’s design is the proportioning of the form. Figure 8: Proportioning system of the ET66. Source: Author’s Collection Rams employs familiar shapes and even the golden mean ratio to guide the placement of displays and buttons. Even the smallest dot on the calculator sits flush with letters in its vicinity; all these details come together to create a balanced, well-ordered visual quality. Figure 9: Rams’ almost surgical attention to detail soothes the viewer’s eye. Source: Author’s Collection These principles, derived from natural order, have been used in practice since time immemorial, such as classic Greek and Roman architecture, pyramids of Giza and the like. Based on centuries of observation and vindicated by time, the rules of proportion and form Rams swore by played a significant role in the longevity and “timelessness” of his work. Instead of choosing outré, whimsical forms and bright colours so dear to the post-modernist. Having a deep understanding of these principles, Rams was able to translate them appropriately into his work, thus imparting a timeless quality to it. These lessons are pertinent even in the digital age of today, as exemplified in the Apple iPhone calculator application, whose user interface is based on the ET-66. “Most notable of all contemporary homages to Rams' designs from the 1950s through to the 1990s is Jonathan Ive's recent work for Apple products. In this case the imitation, 20 years later, of the ET66 calculators numeric and function keypad in the Apple iPhone calculator application (2007)” (MAAS, 2012). Figure 10: Braun design has lessons worth carrying over into the digital world too. Source: Wired.com In a world where updates are released every day, few products have the distinction of being unchanged for decades. While the ET66 shows Rams’ graphic and visual fluency, his sensitivity to form and material is best showcased in the Braun Citromatic. Kitchen Appliances: Citromatic Juicer The Braun Citromatic is an automatic juicer designed in 1972 by Dieter Rams and Jurgen Gruebel. It is made primarily of moulded ABS plastic, with a gloss finish, and just a single Braun logotype on the front. Standing 8.5 inches tall and 5.5 inches wide, it can be disassembled into 3, easily washable parts: the lid, the cone and the strainer. Figure 11 & 12: The process of disassembly leaves behind only the motor—the only unwashable part. Source: Arun Venkatesan https://www.arun.is/blog/braun-mpz2/ The juicer has no switches or buttons: just plug it in, and press down on the cone to start juicing. The cone has gentle ridges to provide a grip while holding the fruit and it is still smooth enough to let it rotate. The torque of the rotating cone was just right, such that it squeezed as much juice as it could without being uncomfortable for the user. The non-drip spout could be pushed up ensuring that no spillage occurs. The size of the lid, the width of the strainer and the handle have all gone through a process involving rigorous ergonomic studies, models, prototypes and material sampling, to achieve their refined, appropriate design. When one looks at an object and its purpose becomes evident, it is already a good product. Jonathan Ive, Chief Designer at Apple, put it this way: “It was the essence of juicing made material: a static object that perfectly described the process by which it worked.” (Lovell, 2011 p. 48). Figure 13: The two main parts are visible and their functions decipherable at a glance. Source: Braun The Citromatic builds on the already existing knowledge of how a manual juicer looks, and prods the user to perform a similar function on itself too. Then, it starts doing the juicing for you, and pours it out through the only cavity in the product; the chances are that you have already placed a glass under it. This psychological association (discoverability) is something Rams strives to achieve, and it is a major reason for the success of his products. Conclusion Figure 14: Braun’s advertising team focused on bringing to the forefront the thoughtfulness of their design team. Source: Jamie (jbcurio on Flickr) https://www.flickr.com/photos/jbcurio/5579290803/sizes/o/in/set-72057594111613034/ Though his products seem bare (even barren) on first glance, exactly the opposite is true. Unlike some of his contemporaries, Rams believes pure functionalism is not the most effective way to design a product. He believes the definition of function is always expanding. “Human needs are more diverse than designers are sometimes ready to admit or perhaps, capable of knowing.” – Dieter Rams (in Lovell, 2011, p. 78) His products are designed such that they slip into the background as soon as their job is done; many times the user is subconsciously enjoying the experience, without knowing why or how it is pleasurable. Only on close inspection, one becomes aware of the effort which has gone into making the products sit comfortably in the hand. The textures, the weight and balance they possess, the satisfying click of the buttons, anthropometry and proportion, mounting options et al. are all details which are not special—they are “just as it should be” and one cannot imagine them being any other way. A deep understanding of the purpose of an object, combined with his surgical attention to detail, helped Rams create successful, sustainable and timeless products.