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Design Principles

What is design?

By Design Principles, inspiration

I’ve been asked this more times than enough, and heard more explanations than I’ve had cold pints and cups of coffee combined. The man and legend that is Dieter Rams laws down the law…

Dieter Rams is one of the most influential designers of the twentieth century. Even if you don’t immediately recognize the name, you have almost certainly used one of the myirad of products he designed. Rams has been an outspoken voice calling for “an end to the era of wastefulness” and to consider how we can continue to live on a planet with finite resources if we simply throw everything away. In 1976 Rams delivered a frank and prescient speech in New York. It was titled ‘Design by Vitsoe’ and in it he asserted his commitment to responsible design.

As part of his far-reaching influence, he outlined 10 principles of design which permeate every aspect and discipline of design; good design is innovative, useful, and aesthetic. Good design should be make a product easily understood. Good design is unobtrusive, honest, durable, thorough, and concerned with the environment.

Most of all, good design is as little design as possible. Read more about these enduring and fundamental ideas here.