Virtual winner's podium – the ICONIC AWARDS 2022: Innovative Interior (3/9)

It's hard to believe I use a 50-year-old electrical appliance almost every day, and it still works perfectly. It's clear, restrained shape and balanced proportions seem timeless. All the buttons are clearly arranged, every detail has been designed with care. I'm talking about my Braun compact audio 310, designed by Dieter Rams.

I've owned it for a long time – but at some point I realised that the simplicity of the design is not limited to its outer form. Its longevity is also the result of easy reparability. And, almost incidentally, the simple design of this hi-fi system is an early example of universal design: everyone can operate it without confusion, no matter their technical ability.

The Braun compact audio 310 exemplifies the importance of simplicity in design, and why – especially today – it is a worthwhile goal of consumer product design. The long life cycle of a product protects the environment, an inclusive design expands the target group, makes life easier for a larger number of people and a clear, simple design language is also aesthetically sustainable, so to speak.

Many of the 'ICONIC AWARDS: Innovative Interior' projects awarded this year by the German Design Council are characterised by an attitude that builds on simplicity, quality and durability. The competition creates publicity for successful design and sees itself as a platform for connecting architects, product designers and object developers with the interior design industry.

A simple design language oriented towards the reduction of complexity is one of four trends that the German Design Council has identified for 2022 on the basis of the competition. 'Less is more' is back en vogue, especially in the interior sector: instead of popping colours, a playful appearance, lavish materials or tropical plant motifs, designers are opting for cool, muted colour tones, a clear design language and a reduction to the essentials.

A new seriousness is currently taking hold – against the backdrop of an ongoing pandemic and the restrictions it entails – in the design of our living spaces. The website set up by the German Design Council for the 'ICONIC AWARDS: Innovative Interior' provides a rationale for this development.

It says, 'The new simplicity works with an emphasis on filigree constructive structures and honest, discreetly designed material surfaces. Instead of exuberant gestures, a sense of understatement is the order of the day; instead of postmodern "anything goes", there is a return to the creative values of classic modernist design: a back to Bauhaus.' So let's take a closer look at some of the products honoured in the awards. You will see that simplicity in design can indeed produce great elegance and finesse.

For example, there is the Möbius washstand by the Italian master Nilo Gioacchini. Here, a vertical surface transforms into a horizontal one, becoming a washbasin. The jury's explanation of the unit, which was awarded 'Winner': The idea of translating the famous Möbius strip, which embodies infinity, into a washstand succeeded formally and functionally at a high design level.' Again, we find a completely different interpretation of simplicity in the modular shelving system Zero by Alegre Design S.L., which can also function as a room divider.

Here, no tools are needed for assembly and numerous variations can be realised, with all-recyclable elements. Thanks to its flexibility, Zero can be used in the living area as well as in the office. The jury praised the advantages of the design, which was awarded 'Best of Best', as follows: 'A storage system that is well thought-out in every respect, that fits discreetly into different room situations with its minimalist design and also meets the demand for sustainability.'

The changeable furniture Bavul, developed by Lea Aviani for Prostoria, was also awarded 'Best of Best'. Three piled-up cushions form a piece of seating furniture that can be folded out to form a bed, similar to a divan. This simple and practical solution is suitable for hotels, holiday lets and lofts. Moreover, Bavul is environmentally friendly and durable.

The jury explained its decision as follows: 'Despite its simplicity, the sofa bed appears highly elegant and of high quality. The fact that it also enjoys a high degree of recognisability is mainly due to the striking wide leather bands that enclose and hold together the layers of upholstery.'

But these three designs are not isolated cases. Each of the well-thought-out products, which follow the 'Less is more' trend and were recently awarded the ICONIC AWARDS 2022: Innovative Interior, has earned it through a very individual selling point. Simple is not the same as boring – but, as becomes clear here, it can be exciting.

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