
Dieter Rams graduated as an architect in 1953 and worked briefly at Otto Apel’s Architectural office in Frankfurt before starting a long-term relationship with Braun. He served as the German consumer goods company's head of design for over 30 years, from 1961 to 1995.
At Braun, Rams crafted a sophisticated, clear, and understandable visual language for his products, embodying one of his famously quotable statements:
"Simplicity is the key to excellence!"
In the late 1970s, Dieter Rams grew more intrigued by the wide variety of objects surrounding him, which he described as "a bewildering mix of shapes, colours, and sounds." Recognizing his influence as a designer in crafting this environment, Rams pondered an essential question:
"Does my design qualify as good design?"
Recognizing the subjective nature of good design, Rams sought to outline the essential principles he considered crucial in design and introduced his 10 principles of good design in a lecture in 1985:
"Some fundamental reflections on the essence of design which determined me and my fellow designers was summed up in ten simple statements a few years ago. They are helpful means for orientation and understanding. They are not binding. Good design is in a constant state of redevelopment - just like technology and culture" pg 353*
Outlined below are his 10 principles and the ways in which Creu's Cartef's design ethos addresses each.
Good design is innovative
"The possibilities for innovation are not, by any means, exhausted. Technological development is always offering new opportunities for innovative design. But innovative design always develops in tandem with innovative technology, and can never be an end itself."
Cartref's design ethos adopts the processes associated with the 'Industrialisation of construction'. This approach doesn't sacrifice innovation for standardisation but rather leverages standardised practices to drive efficiency and promote innovation. By freeing up resources that would otherwise be spent on bespoke solutions we focus on research and development to enhance our offerings and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving industry. This symbiotic relationship between efficiency and innovation is at the core of industrialisation in construction and our approach.
Good design makes a product useful
"A product is bought to be used. It has to satisfy certain criteria, not only functional but also psychological and aesthetic. Good design emphasises the usefulness of a product whilst disregarding anything that could possibly detract from it."
Houses are made up of a series of rooms configured, constructed and serviced to create homes. Creu Cartref's focus on standardising and delivering well-designed and coordinated rooms in turn delivers a consistently useful product repeatedly.
Services including an air source heat pump cylinder and mechanical ventilation heat recovery units and their associated service runs for ductwork and pipework are accommodated without compromising the resident's useable storage space and amenities within the dwellings.

pg 65*
Good design is aesthetic
"The aesthetic quality of a product is integral to its usefulness because products we use every day affect our person and our well-being. But only well-executed objects can be beautiful."
Creu Cartref homes are elegantly straightforward, showcasing expertly crafted designs that enhance their aesthetic charm. The intricate details of the houses have been meticulously coordinated and resolved, allowing time to focus on ensuring empathy is integrated into projects. This guarantees that the end users fully benefit from a thoughtfully structured design and construction process tailored to the individual.
‘Anyone can build a building that protects people from the heat, sun and cold. What I am determined to do is to make a stage where people can be sexier and more brilliant, the place where they can awake smarter’ philippe stark
Good design makes a product understandable
"It clarifies the product's structure. Better still, it can make the product talk. At best, it is self-explanatory."
Cartrefs homes are crafted to be implemented using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), aiding the shift from 'on-site construction' to 'on-site assembly of pre-manufactured components'. The greater the standardisation of the components to be assembled, the more efficiently the industry can produce these components and achieve the economic and cost-saving benefits of MMC.
Cartref's dwellings are structurally logical with clearly defined load-bearing walls and service routes. This simplifies manufacturing and assembly/ construction and will facilitate easier maintenance and alterations in future.

pg 203*
Good design is honest
"It does not make a product more innovative, powerful or valuable than it really is. It does not attempt to manipulate the consumer with promises that cannot be kept."
Creu's Design innovation is focused on creating a consistent platform to accommodate future innovation. Houses can be built using all construction methods including traditional brick and block, panelised construction (light gauge steel or timber frame), fully factory-produced modular systems and even 3d printing. Regardless of the construction method adopting Creu Cartref's house types will deliver the same end product - the same bathroom, the same lounge, the same bedroom etc. repeatedly.
Good design 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 users self expression."
Creu Cartref's design ethos is fundamentally unobtrusive. It focuses on the development of a cohesive platform that allows for 'self-expression' both internally and externally.
It does not define:
the construction methodology.
the internal fitout e.g kitchens, bathrooms etc.
plant and equipment manufacturer ( it does provide a defined space for them and their required service runs ) .
the appearance, build up or performance of the external envelope ( external finishes, thermal value and air tightness can vary to suit the aspirations of the project ) .
It does:
provide a consistent platform that will deliver a consistent product for the end user repeatedly.

pg 309*
Good design 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."
What could be possible in 20 to 30 years within the construction industry? Will we be working remotely, living a nomadic lifestyle, or working from anywhere globally? Will we even have a permanent home? How can we design for the digital generation influenced by platforms like Minecraft, Fortnite, and the COVID era? Will this generation be flexible in terms of where they live, when they work, and how they work? Should there be adaptability for expanding or reducing the size of a property? Is it feasible to reside in the same property for a lifetime? Will all construction be done using off-site volumetric modular methods?
While modular construction offers clear benefits, its widespread adoption won't happen overnight. Creu Cartref's focus is on a solution that can eventually be delivered modularly, facilitating a seamless transition from traditional construction techniques to modern construction maturity, culminating in fully volumetric methods while providing the same product, spaces, and homes.
Good design 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."
At the heart of industrialisation in construction lies the concept of a "kit of parts." Just like assembling a piece of furniture using pre-designed components, this approach involves using standardised building elements and processes to create a cohesive final product. By breaking down projects into modular components that are easily replicable, Creu Cartref can achieve economies of scale, drive continuous improvement, and ensure greater commonality and repeatability in their deliverables.

appendix timeline*
Good design is environmentally friendly
"Design makes an important contribution to the preservation of the environment. It conserves resources and minimises physical and visual pollution throughout the lifecycle of the product."
Standardizing the core deliverables of Creu Cartref's house types provides the opportunity to concentrate on enhancing the environmental aspects of their construction and delivery, including:
Material Selection:Â Choosing low-carbon or recycled materials.
Efficient Design:Â Optimizing building designs to use fewer materials.
Modular Construction:Â Implementing modern methods of construction to reduce waste and emissions.
Local Sourcing:Â Sourcing materials locally to minimise transportation emissions.
Life Cycle Assessment:Â Conducting life cycle assessments to evaluate and minimise the embodied carbon of building projects.
Good design is as little design as possible
"Less, but better - because it concentrates on the essential aspects, and the products are not burdened with in-essentials. Back to purity, back to simplicity!" pg354*
Creu Cartref dwelling and apartment types use only 9 room modules for their houses that are interchangeable and fully designed and coordinated in our 3d software. Similar to the way the manufacturing industry creates detailed prototypes, fully coordinates all aspects of the product and challenges design decisions before committing to manufacture we adopt the same principles for construction.
By adotping Creu Cartref's house types there will be:
Less rework
Less arguing
Less inconsistency
Less misunderstanding
Less quantity of information
but
Better communication
Better understanding
Better awareness
Better relationships
Better results
Better environments
Better affordability

pg 59*
"Less but better has become Dieter Ram's ultimate motto for change." pg 356
"By all means reduce, says Rams, but only in the service and utility and the user - not for the sake of aesthetic reasons alone. Reduce quantity, superficiality, greed, waste and excess and at the same time increase: increase humility, quality and the effort to achieve better products, better design and thereby a better world: 'There must be millions of less things, less words, less gestures, less everything. But every word and every gesture will become more valuable. If we can put it all into perspective we will need less things as a result." pg 356*
*Images and extracts have been taken from the book Dieter Rams: As Little Design as possible
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