Key Stage 3-5 Free Activity
Lesson Plan: Make a sleek and simple design
In 1956 the German electrical appliance company Braun released their record player/radio the SK4, often known as the ‘Phonosuper’. With the Phonosuper, Braun also showed their new minimalist approach to design. One of the main designers behind the Phonosuper was Dieter Rams, whose ‘less is more' method helped to drive Braun’s designs for the next 45 years.
Dieter was so concerned with what he thought of as ‘good design’ that he came up with ‘10 priniciples of good design’.
Watch fashion designer Paul Smith talk about the SK5 Phonosuper (the next version after the SK4) in the Design Museum film.
Things to do
Find a complicated object and simplify it. Look for something from around your home but make sure that you ask for permission first if it isn’t yours!
Redesign your object in the style of Dieter Rams; remove any unnecessary buttons and combine functions of buttons that are not used very much. Make the design simple with clean edges and uncluttered surfaces.
Share your illustration with the Design Museum on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram using #DesignFromHome.
To read
Young Design Museum
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