Design has intrigued me for a long time, even before I fully realized it. One of the most captivating things for me about the iPod, and all Apple products, was the design. It looked sleek, without being overbearing or douchy. It was timeless in a way, but still seemed modern and outer worldly. It sparked something in me that I couldn't quite pinpoint — until I stumbled upon a YouTube video about industrial design and discovered Dieter Rams.
For decades, Dieter Rams was the head of design at Braun, a German company known for its wide range of home appliances. His designs heavily inspired the designs of Jony Ive, Apple's Head of Design for many years, and made them stand out for the same reasons — an almost jaw dropping timelessness, simplicity that is not understood to be equivalent to minimalism, and the absence of anything that can be considered spectacular. Rams hated spectacular design, saying that design ought not to be spectacular or flashy, but simply good and thoughtful of the humans who will live with the product. His RT-20 radio from the 1960s, which can be seen below, still outshines many modern designs today.
indifference towards people and the
reality in which they live is actually the
one and only cardinal sin in design
dieter rams
ex head of design at braun
ex head of design at braun
Rams distilled his design philosophy into ten principles, each highlighting an important aspect of “good” design. The one I like the most: Good design ought to be sustainable. This isn’t just about using sustainable materials but creating timeless products. Right now, a lot of products are designed to be spectacular. They initially catch your attention in the store, but they're not actually designed well — leading you to dislike them shortly after buying them, which in turn leads you to discarding them and buying something new.
We don't need more products; we need better products — ones that look great and fit seamlessly into our lives regardless of changing trends. Such design not only enhances our spaces but also reduces waste. To me, this shows the power design can have, and how fundamental it is to improving people’s lives now and later.
i really do believe that the world can be
saved through design [...] and i know that
there's more creativity to happen
kanye west
speech at the harvard graduate school of design
speech at the harvard graduate school of design
Yet, I’ve also learned that design — like all creative disciplines — suffers when over-managed. I signed up for sewing classes a while back. While trying to construct a garment I got too lost in the details; all I was worrying about was making every stitch perfect. In the end, the stitches were as straight as they could be — but the end result still looked off. You can't control design like you can control cash flows, and oftentimes you can't even explain why something is working or not working. Design can't always be managed, it can't be controlled down to the last detail. Francis Bacon, in my opinion one of the few people that can talk about art in a way that doesn't sound pretentious or vague, often discussed this inherent messiness in creation. Talking about one of his paintings, he described how stepping away from controlling the details of the person he was drawing actually allowed him to make the painting feel more alive. By letting go of control, he achieved a better outcome.
i believe in deeply ordered chaos
francis bacon
painter
painter
Other designers who inspire me include Charles and Ray Eames and Neri Oxman. The Eames’ mid-century furniture designs embody many of the principles Rams championed and align with Bauhaus ideals. All of these streams of influence inspire me a lot.
Neri Oxman, a pioneer in nature-centric design, is another major influence. Her company, Oxman, is working on fascinating projects that aim to replace artificial design and production processes with organic ones. Think of self-healing roofs made from silk or clothing made from fungi that grows exactly to your measures. Oxman’s work represents my belief that digital, inorganic technology will eventually reach its limits, and we must explore symbiotic, organic solutions that work with nature rather than against it.
Innovative design is important, but sadly embraced by far too little companies. That's why, whatever project I am working on, design is always on my mind — and even though I personally don't have the skill to manifest great design, I want to make sure the people that do get all the creative freedom, resources and opportunities they need. At Jelly, we’ve already brought on some fantastic designers, and I’m excited to see who we’ll collaborate with in the future to bring well-designed products and experiences to life.
Ich will immer mehr lernen, das
NotHwendige an den Dingen als das
Schöne sehen – so werde ich einer von
denen sein, welche die Dinge schön
machen
friedrich nietzsche
DIE FRÖhLICHE WISSENSCHAFT
DIE FRÖhLICHE WISSENSCHAFT
