The Rams & Vitsoe arrangement of surfaces/621.
The reason you see above that it is called an arrangement of surfaces, is that;
“Rams does not like it called a table; he prefers, “an arrangement of surfaces.”
Background information on Dieter Rams.
H.C. Dieter Rams was born on the 20th of May, 1932 in Wiesbaden, Hessen in Germany. He is a professor emeritus (the former holder of an office, especially a university professor, having retired but allowed to retain their title as an honor.)
and industrial designer closely associated with the consumer products company Braun and the Functionalist school of industrial design. His unobtrusive approach and belief in “less but better” design generated a timeless quality in his products and have influenced the design of many products, which also secured Rams worldwide recognition and appreciation.
- Began his studies in architecture and interior decoration at Wiesbaden School of Art in 1947.
- In 1948, he took a break from studying to gain practical experience and finish his carpentry apprenticeship.
- In 1953 and graduated with honors.
- In 1955, he was recruited to Braun as an architect.
- In 1961, he became the Chief Design Officer at Braun.
- Fond of term “Weniger, aber besser” Translates to less, but better.
- Rams regularly promoted the use of plastic in his products
In the mid to late 1970’s, Rams was becoming more and more concerned by the way the world was transforming around him. – “an impenetrable confusion of forms, colours and noises.” He was aware that he was a significant influence into that world, he chose to ask himself an important question: is my design, good design?
He concluded that good design cannot and should not be measured in a set way. He set about deciding upon the ten most important principles for what he considered was good design.
- Is innovative– The possibilities for progression are not, by any means, exhausted. Technological development is always offering new opportunities for original designs. But imaginative design always develops in tandem with improving technology, and can never be an end in itself.
- Makes a product useful– A product is bought to be used. It must satisfy not only functional, but also psychological and aesthetic criteria. Good design emphasizes the usefulness of a product whilst disregarding anything that could detract from it.
- Is aesthetic– The aesthetic quality of a product is integral to its usefulness because products are used every day and influence people and their well-being. Only well-executed objects can be beautiful.
- Makes a product understandable– It clarifies the product’s structure. Better still, it can make the product clearly express its function by making use of the user’s intuition. At best, it is self-explanatory.
- Is unobtrusive– Products fulfilling a purpose are like tools. They are neither decorative objects nor works of art. Their design should therefore be both neutral and restrained, to leave room for the user’s self-expression.
- Is honest– It does not make a product appear more innovative, powerful or valuable than it really is. It does not attempt to manipulate the consumer with promises that cannot be kept.
- Is long-lasting– It avoids being fashionable and therefore never appears antiquated. Unlike fashionable design, it lasts many years – even in today’s throwaway society.
- Is thorough down to the last detail– Nothing must be arbitrary or left to chance. Care and accuracy in the design process show respect towards the consumer.
- Is environmentally friendly– Design makes an important contribution to the preservation of the environment. It conserves resources and minimizes physical and visual pollution throughout the lifecycle of the product.
- Is as little design as possible– Less, but better – because it concentrates on the essential aspects, and the products are not burdened with non-essentials. Back to purity, back to simplicity.
Background information on Vitsoe.
Vitsoe is currently a British furniture company, based out of London
- Niels Wiese Vitsoe was introduced to Dieter Ramsby another designer, Otto Zapf In 1959.
- Together they founded Vitsoe + Zapf on the 4th September, 1959, they were based out of Frankfurt.
- Manufacture products designed by Dieter Rams
- Rams was working for Braunat the time, but Erwin and Artur Braun decided to allow him to work on side projects.
- In 1969, the company was renamed Vitsoe when Zapf left the company after 10 years.
- In 1995 the company moved all manufacturing to England.
- In the move to England, the German company was closed, so products were re-engineered.
Ethos.
They wanted to build sturdy furniture, that would not become outdated. They would not pander to fashion. Their furniture would be discrete, and it would be adaptable. So, that you as the customer could: start with less, add to it, rearrange it, repair it, take it with you when you move and most importantly reuse it.
To follow its ethos, Vitsœ focuses on a close relationship with its customers, using the Internet to sell interactively internationally. Vitsœ is also continually improving their products and processes. Mark Adams, who took over in 199 about 50% to 60% of Vitsoe’ s orders are coming from existing customers
The 621 arrangement of surfaces
In 1962, Dieter Rams started designing the 621. He was designing it not only as a partner to go with the a 620-chair system, but as a system of surfaces that could be used infinitely alongside each other.
Throughout the design, the hands of Rams were the ultimate test: within seconds he could decide if any further changes were needed. In the end, he declared himself “overwhelmed” by the finished result. As mentioned above, each curve was handmade and hand crafted.
In 2014 the re-engineering of Rams’s original hand-drawn blueprints. 3D-modelling was used to translate them for modern injection-molding techniques. Once they had been modelled and teste, the table’s details were 3D-printed to make sure of their accuracy to the original blueprints.
They also changed the materials and production method. Initially it was a thermoformed plastic that was draped over a mould, and then sucked into shape. However, as you’ll see below, it is now constructed by a far more modern technique called injection moulding.
“It is an injection-moulded, impact-modified polystyrene that gives the 621 Table its form and strength.”
Rams’s initial design has thicker/ more dense material at the edges which, when combined with the recesses in the side/legs, increases its stiffness and rigidity. These recesses also become a tray when the table is turned on its side.
The table is hand-painted in a textured, two-part, polyurethane finish that is not prone to fading in UV light. It can be painted in either off-white (RAL 9002) or black (RAL 9005).
As the photo below shows, the arrangement of surfaces comes in two different sizes. These can be bought separately, or together as a nested unit.
When questioned in an interview regarding the reincarnation of Vitsoe, rams said…
“more than 50 years after I designed the 621-side table for Vitsoe I am delighted to see it back in production. We have been able to make use of new technologies and innovative design to ensure that the table is now better than ever.”
New injection moulding process.
The plastic injection moulding process produces large numbers of parts of high quality with great accuracy, very quickly. Plastic material in the form of granules is melted until soft enough to be injected under pressure to fill a mould. The result is that the shape is exactly copied.
Step 1: Plastic material in the form of granules is melted until soft.
Step 2) The plastic liquid is then injected into a mould of sorts under high pressure.
Step 3) The plastic liquid is subjected to continued high pressure to make sure it reaches all corners of the mould, this is called “dwelling”
Step 4) The mould is left until it has cooled sufficiently to hold its new shape.
Step 5) The mould is the broken apart, and the new moulding is cracked out from the mould itself.
Step 6) The moulding is trimmed/sanded/edited to allow to the finish required.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMjtmsr3CqA
The above video gives in-depth information about the machines used and the complete manufacturing process.
Rams’ other collaborations with Vitsoe.
It would seem that 1962 was a good year for the partnership that was Vitsoe and Dieter Rams, as he also designed the 620-chair program. The 620 program is a group kit of parts, where you assemble and disassemble as your life and needs change. The separate chairs can have their arm-rests removed, and then joined to another separate chair unit to become a sofa, or vice versa! One of the other benefits of this, that that regardless how big you would like your sofa to be, it always comes in manageable boxes. When you receive your 620 unit, you only need one tool to, which is supplied within the box. So, no specialist tools needed.
The outer shell is made from a hot-pressed sheet moulding compound, which is similar to, but stronger than fiberglass. The chair base is a traditional coil-sprung structure overlaid with a rubberized-coir pad (a mixture of torn coconut husks and natural rubber).
You can have the 620 program in various finishes, there are two specific finishes for the sides, and 6 separate leather finishes.
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