The functionalist design philosophy of Dieter Rams and his colleagues in the 1960s was a direct response to the dark horrors of totalitarianism and fascism. It grew out of a strong belief in designing a more democratic, more egalitarian world within, full of light and labour-saving devices for ‘users’ (not ‘consumers’) – products that gave people the freedom of choice in the interiors of their homes to complement the rise of democracy without.
Read Sophie’s opinion piece on the (mis)use of Dieter Rams’ designs as signifiers in the TV series “Severance” here.