Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Rams’ work is how timeless it remains. Chances are that there are one or more things in your own home, like a calculator or a coffee maker or a hair dryer, that are based on Rams’ iconic designs from the 1950’s or 1960’s. But the objects are as fresh today as they were decades ago, and they don’t have the precious aura of Design Objects. They’re handsome, everyday things that are simple and pleasurable to use. It’s a far cry from the work of contemporary designers like Karim Rashid and Philippe Stark, whose products are often so extravagantly expressive that it’s hard to find a comfortable place for them in your home or in your life. The book’s subtitle, “As Little Design as Possible,” is one of Rams’ ten fundamental rules of design. While he would like to believe that there’s little design in his work, there’s certainly art in it, and grace too.

Dieter Rams: As Little Design as Possible

Braun