Dieter Rams

Dieter Rams
Dieter Rams at Vitsœ
Born	(1932-05-20) 20 May 1932 (age 84) Wiesbaden, Hessen, Germany
Nationality	German
Occupation	Industrial Designer
Known for	Braun consumer products, Vitsœ 606 Universal Shelving System

H.C. Dieter Rams (born 20 May 1932 in Wiesbaden, Hessen) is a German professor emeritus and industrial designer closely associated with the consumer products company Braun and the Functionalist school of industrial design. His unobtrusive approach and belief in "less but better" design generated a timeless quality in his products and have influenced the design of many products, which also secured Rams worldwide recognition and appreciation.

Dieter Rams began his studies in architecture and interior decoration at Wiesbaden School of Art in 1947. A year later, in 1948, he took a break from studying to gain practical experience and finish his carpentry apprenticeship. He returned to Wiesbaden School of Art in 1948 and graduated with honours in 1953 after which he began working for Frankfurt-based architect Otto Apel. In 1955, he was recruited to Braun as an architect and an interior designer. In 1961, he became the Chief Design Officer at Braun, a position he retained until 1995.

Dieter Rams was strongly influenced by the presence of his grandfather, a carpenter. Rams once explained his design approach in the phrase "Weniger, aber besser" which translates as "Less, but better". Rams and his staff designed many memorable products for Braun including the famous SK-4 record player and the high-quality 'D'-series (D45, D46) of 35 mm film slide projectors. He is also known for designing a furniture collection for Vitsœ in the 1960s including the 606 Universal Shelving System and 620 Chair Programme.

By producing electronic gadgets that were remarkable in their austere aesthetic and user friendliness, Rams made Braun a household name in the 1950s.

In 2010, to mark his contribution to the world of design, 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. In addition, as successor to the Bauhaus, Rams eventually became a protégé of the Ulm School of Design in Ulm, Germany.

Rams introduced the idea of sustainable development and of obsolescence being a crime in design in the 1970s. Accordingly, he asked himself the question: is my design good design? The answer formed is now the celebrated ten principles.