Dieter Rams Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Dieter Rams
Dieter Rams in 2010
Born	(1932-05-20) 20 May 1932 (age 93) Wiesbaden, Hesse-Nassau, Prussia, Germany
Nationality	German
Occupation	Industrial designer
Known for	Ten principles of "good design" Braun consumer products Vitsœ furniture
Notable work	Braun SK 4 radiogram Vitsœ 606 Universal Shelving System
Spouse(s)	Ingeborg Kracht-Rams
Awards	Commander's Cross (Order of Merit, Germany)

Dieter Rams (born May 20, 1932) is a famous German industrial designer. He is best known for his work with the electronics company Braun and the furniture company Vitsœ. Rams believes in "less, but better" design, which means making things simple and useful. His ideas have greatly influenced how products look and work today. He once said that ignoring people's needs is the biggest mistake in design.

Early Life and Learning
Career Highlights
Ten Principles of Good Design
Exhibitions and Awards
Gallery of Works
See also

Early Life and Learning

A model of a chair from Rams's student work in 1952.

Dieter Rams was born in Wiesbaden, Germany, in 1932. He started studying architecture and interior design in 1947 at the Wiesbaden School of Art. A year later, he took a break to become a skilled carpenter. He returned to art school in 1948 and finished his architecture degree with top honors in 1953.

After graduating, he worked for an architect named Otto Apel. In 1955, Braun, a well-known company, hired him as an architect and interior designer. He learned a lot from other designers at Braun, like Fritz Eichler, Hans Gugelot, and Otl Aicher.

Career Highlights

Braun Phonosuper SK 4 "Snow White's coffin" by Dieter Rams and Hans Gugelot (1956).

Rams joined Braun in 1955 when he was 23 years old. By 1961, he became the head of design for the company. He held this important position until he retired in 1997.

Designing for Braun

Dieter Rams and his team created many memorable products for Braun. One famous design was the Phonosuper SK 4 radio and record player. People nicknamed it "Snow White's coffin" because of its clear lid. This design was revolutionary because it made household appliances look modern, not like old furniture. Rams's simple and easy-to-use designs made Braun a very popular brand in the 1950s.

He also designed the T 2 cigarette lighter in 1968. Rams insisted that Braun should design the technology inside the lighter, not just the outside. This showed his belief in designing products completely, from the inside out.

Working with Vitsœ

Rams's furniture on display in a Vitsœ showroom in Tokyo.

In 1959, Rams started working with Vitsœ, a furniture company. He designed the 606 Universal Shelving System, which is a modular shelving unit. This system is still sold today, almost exactly as he designed it. He also created the 620 chair collection for Vitsœ in the 1960s. Rams worked for both Braun and Vitsœ until his retirement in 1997. He still works with Vitsœ even now.

His Impact on Design

An Apple iPod next to a 1958 Braun T3 transistor radio, showing design similarities.

Dieter Rams's design ideas have influenced many designers, including Apple's former chief designer, Jony Ive. Many Apple products show a clear connection to Rams's work for Braun. For example, Apple's calculator app looks like Rams's 1987 ET66 calculator. The original iPod also looks a lot like Braun's T3 transistor radio.

In a documentary, Rams said that Apple is one of the few companies that truly designs products following his principles. Jony Ive even sent him an iPhone with a thank-you letter for the inspiration.

Ten Principles of Good Design

The Braun SK 61, a classic example of Rams's design principles.

In the 1970s, Dieter Rams thought about how design could be better for the environment and last longer. He asked himself, "Is my design a good design?" His answer led to his famous "Ten Principles of Good Design." According to Rams, good design:

Is innovative – Design should always be new and exciting. It should work with new technology, not just look pretty.
Makes a product useful – A product's main job is to be used. Good design helps the product do its job well and makes it easy to use.
Is aesthetic – Products we use every day should look good. Beautiful objects make our lives better.
Makes a product understandable – Design should make it clear how a product works. It should be easy to figure out, almost without instructions.
Is unobtrusive – Products are tools. They shouldn't be too flashy or artistic. Their design should be calm and simple, letting the user express themselves.
Is honest – Design should not make a product seem better or more powerful than it is. It should not trick the buyer.
Is long-lasting – Good design doesn't go out of style quickly. It lasts for many years, unlike trendy designs that are soon forgotten.
Is thorough down to the last detail – Every part of the design should be carefully thought out. This shows respect for the person using the product.
Is environmentally friendly – Design should help protect the planet. It should save resources and reduce pollution throughout the product's life.
Is as little design as possible – This means "less, but better." Design should focus on the most important parts of a product and keep things simple.

Exhibitions and Awards

Dieter Rams at an exhibition in Boston in 2005.

Dieter Rams has been involved in design for over seventy years. He has received many awards and honors for his work.

Awards and Honors

1960: Received the Kulturkreis im Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie award.
1961: His TP1 portable record player and radio won the Supreme Award in London.
1968: Became an Honorary Member of the Royal Designers for Industry in the UK.
1989: Received an honorary doctorate from the Royal College of Art in London.
1996: Awarded the World Design Medal from the Industrial Designers Society of America.
2002: Received the Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
2007: Won the Design Prize of the Federal Republic of Germany for his lifetime work.
2013: Awarded the Lifetime Achievement Medal at the London Design Festival.
2024: Became the first person to receive the iF design lifetime-achievement award.

Less and More Exhibition

The Less and More exhibition showcased Rams's important designs for Braun and Vitsœ. It traveled to Japan in 2008 and 2009. Later, it was shown in London, Frankfurt, and San Francisco.

Rams Documentary

In 2016, filmmaker Gary Hustwit made a documentary called Rams. The film features deep conversations with Rams about his design ideas and famous products. It also helped save Rams's design archives for the future.

Other Exhibitions

In 2016, the Vitra Design Museum had an exhibition called "Dieter Rams. Modular World." It focused on his love for organized shelving systems.
In 2022, the Museum für Angewandte Kunst in Frankfurt updated its permanent display, "Dieter Rams. A Style Room," to celebrate his 90th birthday.
An exhibition called "Dieter Rams. Looking back and ahead" opened in 2021. It showed about 30 of his works and 100 photographs. This exhibit traveled to New York and Milan.