The winner is: German design! More and more products are being nominated for the Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany – the total reached 1,200 in 2010. Ten of them were awarded the “prize of prizes” in February. “As a distinguishing feature, good design is an important economic factor, especially in times of crisis,” says Andrej Kupetz, head of the German Design Council, which is responsible for awarding the prestigious prizes. The best example is the Audi A5 Coupé, which received the prize in gold this year: sales have already climbed to 126,000.
The value of design for German businesses is demonstrated in a study jointly commissioned by the German Design Council and the German Brands Association. A number of core results are already available. According to the study, 80% of the businesses surveyed consider design to be a decisive factor in opening up new markets. When it comes to improving an enterprise’s position on existing markets, 87% very consciously use design, while even 95% of those surveyed said they relied on design when putting new products on the market. According to Kupetz, one of last year’s winners was even able to double sales through the deliberate use of design.
And what is “German design”? “Since Bauhaus, German design stands for functional and efficient forms. Recently, the factor ‘emotion’ has become more important,” says Andrej Kupetz. “Ultimately, international design is ‘German design’, because the avant-garde of German design emigrated to the USA under the National Socialists during the 1930s. German design became an ‘international style’ as the result of an exhibition at the New York Museum of Modern Art in 1934.”
“Nevertheless, cultural differences do exist in international design,” says Kupetz. “US Americans think on a larger scale, irrespective of whether it is automobiles or bath tubs. Although Japanese design is similar to German design, it is even more characterized by harmony – design with rounded angles, as it were.” German design is traditionally strong in automotive engineering, in kitchens, tableware and sanitary facilities.
Kupetz, whose father designed the mineral water bottle that is in general use in Germany today, draws an even broader international arc: “Bauhaus – Braun – Apple. In many respects the Braun era was a continuation of the Bauhaus tradition. Whereas Bauhaus design concentrated very much on housing, Braun took the same aspirations to electronic devices. Today Apple’s chief designer cites the Braun company’s design as his model.”
P.S.: The German Design Award is also open to applicants from abroad. Their current share is over 20% and their numbers are rising.//
