Books: Less and More: The Design Ethos of Dieter Rams

Heavily influenced by the German Bauhaus and Ulm School of Art, Dieter Rams pioneered a design spirit which embraced modernity and placed function above all, resulting in products that were free of decoration, simple in function and its purpose self-evident. Through his more than 40 years of work at Braun, Dieter Rams designed anything from hair dryers, cigarette lighters, loudspeakers, radios and radio-phonographs to clocks and watches. Each item holds a special place in the history of industrial design and has established Dieter Rams as one of the most influential designers of the late 20th century. With the logically-placed and spatial definition of their controls, simple forms and philosophy of functionalism, Braun products remain influential to product designers today.

Less and More elucidates the design philosophy of Dieter Rams. The book contains images of hundreds of Rams’s products as well as his sketches and models – from Braun stereo systems and electric shavers to the chairs and shelving systems that he created for Vitsoe and sold by sdr+. In addition to the rich visual presentation of his designs, the book contains new texts by international design experts that explain how the work was created, describe its timeless quality, and put it into current context. In this way, the work of Dieter Rams is given a contemporary reevaluation that is especially useful in light of the rediscovery of functionalism and rationalism in today’s design. Less and More shows us the possibilities that design opens for both the manufacturer and the consumer as a means of making our lives better through attractive, functional solutions that also save resources.

Read more: Ten principles of “good design”

Less and More is edited by Professor Klaus Klemp and Keiko Ueki-Polet. One of the world’s leading experts in the field of product design, Klemp has been acquainted with Dieter Rams for many years and is an authority on his work. Ueki-Polet is one of Japan’s most renowned design curators. She is well acquainted with design developments in both Asia and the Western world and works at the Suntory Museum in Osaka.

Less and More: The Design Ethos of Dieter Rams, Editors: Klaus Klemp, Keiko Ueki-Polet, German/English, 19 × 23 cm, 808 pages, full color, PVC cover, in slipcase
ISBN: 978-3-89955-277-5

Buy it here: Amazon or Gestalten

Friday, February 26th, 2010

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Ottoman by Noé Duchaufour Lawrance for ligne roset

Photography: Yangtze, The Long River by Nadav Kander

111735 Responses2010-02-25+23%3A00%3A31Daily+Icon to
“Books: Less and More: The Design Ethos of Dieter Rams”

Mat Says:
July 13th, 2015 at 8:07 PM
From my perspective, Dieter Rams was the most influential designer of the late 20th century. The design is amazingly clear, structured and simple but classic stylish. Adorable work. Thank you Mr Rams.
PRAVEEN Says:
March 23rd, 2016 at 10:21 AM
NICE POST
vetrivelan Says:
April 2nd, 2016 at 2:59 PM
wonderful post..
dfgdfgfd Says:
August 21st, 2020 at 6:40 PM
was the most influential designer of the late 20th century. The design is amazingly clear, structured and simple but classic stylish. Adorable work. Thank you Mr Rams.
Digital Marketing Says:
November 1st, 2020 at 9:11 AM
was the most influential designer of the late 20th century. The design is amazingly clear, structured and simple but classic stylish. Adorable work.

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Ottoman by Noé Duchaufour Lawrance for ligne roset

Photography: Yangtze, The Long River by Nadav Kander