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Dieter Rams’ Wandanlage hi-fi audio wall unit is reimagined in collaboration between Virgil Abloh and Braun

2021-03-18T15:19:00-04:00

In celebration of its 100th anniversary, German consumer products company, Braun, has teamed up with Chief Creative Officer and founder of Off-White and artistic director of Louis Vuitton Menswear, Virgil Abloh, to reimagine one of the brand’s most iconic products.

Dieter Rams' classic Wandanlage hi-fi audio wall unit has been reimagined by Virgil Abloh. All Images courtesy of Braun.

This unique collaboration sees the infusion of Abloh’s personal influences and design language into the classic 1965 Wandanlage hi-fi audio wall unit, originally designed by German industrial designer, Dieter Rams. Transformed into a piece of “functional art”, the Wandanlage has been transported into 2021 with an updated polished chrome finish. This new, lustrous coating reflects the parallel between Braun’s polished chrome design aesthetic and the style of Abloh’s cultural and music references of the past 100 years.

Dieter Rams' classic Wandanlage hi-fi audio wall unit has been reimagined by Virgil Ab...

Filmmaker Gary Hustwit is streaming his collection of design documentaries for free

2020-03-22T15:16:00-04:00

During the global COVID-19 crisis, while most of us are housebound, filmmaker Gary Hustwit is releasing his collection of full-length documentaries online, for free. It appears that they will be released sequentially, starting with his first doc Helvetica, until March 24th, with the rest of his titles following.

"Helvetica" is a feature-length independent film about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. It looks at the proliferation of one typeface as part of a larger conversation about the way type affects our lives.

"Objectified" is a feature-length documentary about our complex relationship with manufactured objects and, by extension, the people who design them.

"Urbanized" is a feature-length documentary about the design of cities, which looks at the issues and strategies behind urban design and features some of the world’s foremost architects, planners, policymakers, builders, and thinkers.

"Workplace" was a project for the 2016 Venice Architecture Biennale abo...

Vitsœ applies Dieter Rams' design philosophy to its stunning new HQ and production building

2017-10-19T20:00:00-04:00

Who said that factory buildings had to be drab, dingy halls devoid of beauty? Vitsœ, the UK-based maker of Dieter Rams-designed furniture systems, opened its new HQ and production building this week, and it's a real stunner.

Located in the small town of Royal Leamington Spa in central England, the new company building has been realized by an in-house Vitsœ team in close collaboration with Yacht designer Martin Francis, architects and fabricators specialized in engineered timber, landscape architects, engineers in their respective fields as well as industrial-sustainability academics.

Sustainability, adaptability, and workplace health were key motives in the design process for the 135-meter-long building that is naturally ventilated and naturally lit during daylight hours, offering employees big windows to connect with nature and the surrounding landscape.

Read on for more images and a project description we've received.

"Like the company’s renowned 606 Un...

Online shop, Das Programm, launches offering vintage, hard-to-find, Dieter Rams products

2013-08-06T13:19:00-04:00

As incorrigible collectors we are all too aware of the gap between the desirability and availability of Dieter Rams' work. das programm was conceived to correct this. We only sell Dieter Rams designs for Braun and Vitsœ, and Braun products issued between 1955 and 1995, the period of Rams’ office at Braun, for the greater part as Director of the Design Department.

Who is Dieter Rams?

2011-05-09T17:51:01-04:00

Dieter Rams is a German industrial designer who trained and worked as an architect for a few years until he joined the electronic devices manufacturer Braun. Within a few years he became their chief of design, a position he held for almost 35 years. During his tenure, he and his team designed many iconic devices ranging from record players to furniture to storage systems.

My favorite product designer of all time.