Braun: influences, peers and legacy

Every connection with its receipt

Braun was less a brand than a doctrine: the Bauhaus functionalism of the 1920s rerouted through the Hochschule für Gestaltung Ulm and installed in a Frankfurt-area appliance factory by Erwin and Artur Braun, art director Fritz Eichler and designer Dieter Rams. This mix traces that lineage backwards into German rationalism and forwards into the gadgets on your desk.

The Kynda mix for Braun

• Key Influence · Hochschule für Gestaltung Ulm (campus building) by Max Bill (1955). When the Braun brothers inherited the firm in 1951 they turned to the newly founded Ulm school, whose first rector Max Bill designed its austere concrete campus as a Bauhaus successor. Ulm teachers Hans Gugelot and Otl Aicher were contracted to overhaul Braun's products and graphics from 1954, and Ulm's systems-based, anti-styling pedagogy became the intellectual charter for everything Braun shipped for the next thirty years.
• Influencia Obscura · Kubus stacking containers by Wilhelm Wagenfeld (1938). Wagenfeld, the Bauhaus metal-workshop student behind the famous glass table lamp, spent decades designing pressed-glass housewares for Lausitzer Glaswerke. Kubus — modular, interlocking refrigerator containers in clear glass — is the purest pre-war German statement of the grid logic, system thinking and self-effacing utility that Braun industrialized: objects designed to be stacked, repeated and ignored rather than admired.
• Local Roots · Frankfurt Kitchen by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky (1926). Braun was founded in Frankfurt in 1921 and now sits in nearby Kronberg im Taunus. Schütte-Lihotzky's galley kitchen, built into Ernst May's municipal housing a few kilometres away, applied time-motion study to domestic labour and treated appliances as integrated equipment. It set the regional precedent for the rationalized German household that Braun's mixers, juicers and coffee grinders would later furnish.
• Beyond the Medium · Interaction of Color by Josef Albers (1963). Albers taught the Bauhaus preliminary course and later built a science of perception at Yale. Braun's designers worked from exactly this premise: colour as functional signal, not decoration. Grey and off-white housings with a single red, green or yellow accent on the one control that matters — the method behind the SK 4 and the ET66 calculator's colour-coded keys — is applied perceptual theory, not styling.
• Peer · Lettera 22 typewriter by Marcello Nizzoli (1950). Olivetti was Braun's great European rival in total corporate design, pairing architects, graphic designers and product designers under enlightened ownership. Nizzoli's portable typewriter, like Braun's radios, made a technical machine domestic and desirable through proportion alone. The two firms defined the opposing poles of postwar design culture: Italian sculptural warmth against German systematic restraint.
• From the Canon · SK 4 Phonosuper radiogram by Braun (1956). Designed by Dieter Rams with Hans Gugelot, the SK 4 replaced the lacquered wooden music cabinet with a white sheet-metal and elm box under a clear acrylic lid — nicknamed Snow White's Coffin. It is the founding document of Braun's method: honest materials, visible mechanism, controls arranged on a grid, and the record player understood as equipment in a modern interior rather than furniture.
• Key Collaborator · 606 Universal Shelving System by Dieter Rams (1960). Rams joined Braun in 1955 as an architect and led design until 1995, authoring or overseeing hundreds of products. Working simultaneously for Vitsœ, he designed the 606 — an aluminium wall-mounted system of shelves and cabinets, infinitely extensible and still in production. It is his thesis stated in furniture: the object as adaptable system, obedient to the room, designed never to go out of date.
• Legacy · iPod (first generation) by Apple (2001). Jony Ive and Apple's design team have repeatedly acknowledged Braun and Dieter Rams; Rams himself has commented on the resemblance. The iPod's white body, circular control and absence of ornament descend directly from the T3 pocket radio, and Apple's calculator, podcast and voice apps quoted Braun's ET66 and wall clocks almost literally. Rams's ten principles became Cupertino's working scripture.

What influenced Braun

• Pop Art. The article says a pop-art-influenced approach inspired Braun products. “In the 1970s, a design approach influenced by pop art began to inspire Braun products, which included many common household appliances and products.” (Wikipedia)
• Kubus stacking containers by Wilhelm Wagenfeld (1938). Kubus stacking containers (Wilhelm Wagenfeld) — ghost for Braun “He designed glass and metal works for the Jenaer Glaswerk Schott & Gen., the Vereinigte Lausitzer Glaswerke in Weißwasser, Rosenthal, Braun GmbH and WMF.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Rotis typeface family by Otl Aicher (1988). Rotis typeface family (Otl Aicher) — ghost for Braun “Among others, he was influential in the corporate identity of the companies Braun and Lufthansa.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Composition with Red, Blue and Yellow by Piet Mondrian (1930). Composition with Red, Blue and Yellow (Piet Mondrian) — culture for Braun (wikidata.org)
• Hochschule für Gestaltung Ulm (campus building) by Max Bill (1955). Hochschule für Gestaltung Ulm (campus building) (Max Bill) — titan for Braun
• Wassily Chair (Model B3) by Marcel Breuer (1925). Wassily Chair (Model B3) (Marcel Breuer) — titan for Braun
• AEG Turbine Factory by Peter Behrens (1909). AEG Turbine Factory (Peter Behrens) — titan for Braun
• Interaction of Color by Josef Albers (1963). Interaction of Color (Josef Albers) — culture for Braun
• Powers of Ten by Charles and Ray Eames (1977). Powers of Ten (Charles and Ray Eames) — culture for Braun

Peers and kindred spirits

• Virgil Abloh (1980). Abloh's reworking of Braun's BC02 is described as a collaboration. (also via BC02 alarm clock) “More recent collaborations that highlight the ongoing influence of the work of the Braun design department have included projects such as Braun wristwatches designed by Paul Smith [ 37 ] and Virgil Abloh 's re-working of the classic BC02…” (Wikipedia)
• Dieter Rams. Rams headed Braun's design department. (also via 606 Universal Shelving System) “For nearly 30 years, Dieter Rams served as head of design for Braun A.G. until his retirement in 1995, when Peter Schneider succeeded him.” (Wikipedia)
• Max Braun. The article identifies Max Braun as the founder of the enterprise that became Braun. “In 1921, Max Braun [ de ] (1890–1951), a mechanical engineer, established a small engineering shop in Frankfurt , Germany.” (Wikipedia)
• Ulm School of Design. Braun's design department collaborated with the Ulm School of Design. “In 1956, Braun created its first design department, headed by Fritz Eichler [ de ] , who instituted a collaboration with the Ulm School of Design to develop a new product line.” (Wikipedia)
• Paul Smith. Paul Smith designed Braun wristwatches as part of a collaboration. “More recent collaborations that highlight the ongoing influence of the work of the Braun design department have included projects such as Braun wristwatches designed by Paul Smith [ 37 ]” (Wikipedia)
• Gerd Alfred Muller. Muller is listed among designers who worked in Braun's design department. “Other designers who worked in Braun's design department include Gerd Alfred Muller , [ 27 ] Reinhold Weiss , Richard Fischer, Robert Oberheim, Florian Seiffert, Hartwig Kahlcke, Herbert Hirche , Fritz Eichler (designer) [ de ] , Roland U…” (Wikipedia)
• Reinhold Weiss. Weiss is listed among designers who worked in Braun's design department. “Other designers who worked in Braun's design department include Gerd Alfred Muller , [ 27 ] Reinhold Weiss , Richard Fischer, Robert Oberheim, Florian Seiffert, Hartwig Kahlcke, Herbert Hirche , Fritz Eichler (designer) [ de ] , Roland U…” (Wikipedia)
• Richard Fischer. Fischer is listed among designers who worked in Braun's design department. “Other designers who worked in Braun's design department include Gerd Alfred Muller , [ 27 ] Reinhold Weiss , Richard Fischer, Robert Oberheim, Florian Seiffert, Hartwig Kahlcke, Herbert Hirche , Fritz Eichler (designer) [ de ] , Roland U…” (Wikipedia)
• Robert Oberheim. Oberheim is listed among designers who worked in Braun's design department. “Other designers who worked in Braun's design department include Gerd Alfred Muller , [ 27 ] Reinhold Weiss , Richard Fischer, Robert Oberheim, Florian Seiffert, Hartwig Kahlcke, Herbert Hirche , Fritz Eichler (designer) [ de ] , Roland U…” (Wikipedia)
• Florian Seiffert. Seiffert is listed among designers who worked in Braun's design department. “Other designers who worked in Braun's design department include Gerd Alfred Muller , [ 27 ] Reinhold Weiss , Richard Fischer, Robert Oberheim, Florian Seiffert, Hartwig Kahlcke, Herbert Hirche , Fritz Eichler (designer) [ de ] , Roland U…” (Wikipedia)
• Hartwig Kahlcke. Kahlcke is listed among designers who worked in Braun's design department. “Other designers who worked in Braun's design department include Gerd Alfred Muller , [ 27 ] Reinhold Weiss , Richard Fischer, Robert Oberheim, Florian Seiffert, Hartwig Kahlcke, Herbert Hirche , Fritz Eichler (designer) [ de ] , Roland U…” (Wikipedia)
• Herbert Hirche. Hirche is listed among designers who worked in Braun's design department. “Other designers who worked in Braun's design department include Gerd Alfred Muller , [ 27 ] Reinhold Weiss , Richard Fischer, Robert Oberheim, Florian Seiffert, Hartwig Kahlcke, Herbert Hirche , Fritz Eichler (designer) [ de ] , Roland U…” (Wikipedia)
• Fritz Eichler. Eichler headed Braun's first design department. “In 1956, Braun created its first design department, headed by Fritz Eichler [ de ] , who instituted a collaboration with the Ulm School of Design to develop a new product line.” (Wikipedia)
• Roland Ullmann. Ullmann is listed among designers who worked in Braun's design department. “Other designers who worked in Braun's design department include Gerd Alfred Muller , [ 27 ] Reinhold Weiss , Richard Fischer, Robert Oberheim, Florian Seiffert, Hartwig Kahlcke, Herbert Hirche , Fritz Eichler (designer) [ de ] , Roland U…” (Wikipedia)
• Ludwig Littmann. Littmann is listed among designers who worked in Braun's design department. “Other designers who worked in Braun's design department include Gerd Alfred Muller , [ 27 ] Reinhold Weiss , Richard Fischer, Robert Oberheim, Florian Seiffert, Hartwig Kahlcke, Herbert Hirche , Fritz Eichler (designer) [ de ] , Roland U…” (Wikipedia)
• Frankfurt Kitchen by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky. Frankfurt Kitchen (Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky) — geography for Braun (wikidata.org)
• Sony TPS-L2 Walkman by Sony (1979). Sony TPS-L2 Walkman (Sony) — peer for Braun “Wolfgang Schmittel: Design, Concept, Realisation: Braun, Citroen, Miller, Olivetti, Sony, Swissair, Zurich 1975 Jo Klatt, Günter Staeffler: Braun+Design Collection.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• 606 Universal Shelving System by Dieter Rams (1960). 606 Universal Shelving System (Dieter Rams) — collaborator for Braun “In 1956 the company introduced its famous SK 4 radiogram ("Snow White's Coffin"), designed by a youthful Dieter Rams together with Herbert Lindinger and the pioneer of system design, Hans Gugelot, then lecturer of design at the Ulm Schoo…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Ulmer Hocker (Ulm Stool) by Hans Gugelot (1954). Ulmer Hocker (Ulm Stool) (Hans Gugelot) — collaborator for Braun “In 1956 the company introduced its famous SK 4 radiogram ("Snow White's Coffin"), designed by a youthful Dieter Rams together with Herbert Lindinger and the pioneer of system design, Hans Gugelot, then lecturer of design at the Ulm Schoo…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Römerstadt Siedlung by Ernst May (1928). Römerstadt Siedlung (Ernst May) — geography for Braun
• IG Farben Building (Poelzig Building) by Hans Poelzig (1930). IG Farben Building (Poelzig Building) (Hans Poelzig) — geography for Braun
• Lettera 22 typewriter by Marcello Nizzoli (1950). Lettera 22 typewriter (Marcello Nizzoli) — peer for Braun
• Beogram 4000 turntable by Jacob Jensen (1972). Beogram 4000 turntable (Jacob Jensen) — peer for Braun
• Lamy 2000 fountain pen by Gerd Alfred Müller (1966). Lamy 2000 fountain pen (Gerd Alfred Müller) — collaborator for Braun

Who Braun influenced

• Steve Jobs. The article says the work of Braun's design department influenced Jobs. “The work of the Braun design department, and especially the Ten Principles for Good design as defined by Rams, [ 29 ] [ 30 ] influenced both Steve Jobs and Apple designer Jonathan Ive .” (Wikipedia)
• Jonathan Ive. The article says the work of Braun's design department influenced Ive. “The work of the Braun design department, and especially the Ten Principles for Good design as defined by Rams, [ 29 ] [ 30 ] influenced both Steve Jobs and Apple designer Jonathan Ive .” (Wikipedia)
• iPod (first generation) by Apple (2001). iPod (first generation) (Apple) — legacy for Braun “The work of the Braun design department, and especially the Ten Principles for Good design as defined by Rams, influenced both Steve Jobs and Apple designer Jonathan Ive.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Glo-Ball lamp by Jasper Morrison (1998). Glo-Ball lamp (Jasper Morrison) — legacy for Braun “The designer Jasper Morrison has spoken about his grandfather's "Snow White's Coffin" being an "important influence on [his] choice in becoming a designer." More recent collaborations that highlight the ongoing influence of the work of t…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Muji CD Player (wall-mounted) by Naoto Fukasawa (1999). Muji CD Player (wall-mounted) (Naoto Fukasawa) — legacy for Braun