Children of the 1980s and 1990s are almost certain to recognize them: beloved electrical appliances in bright shades of orange, yellow and red. From coffee grinders and turntables to electric shavers, Braun’s iconic designs have been a lasting presence in households in Germany and beyond. It’s been a century since the Hessian manufacturer came into being, and now the Bröhan Museum is celebrating the firm’s functional design with a new exhibition, Braun 100. As well as showing off the vibrant diversity of Braun’s famed appliances, the show offers an insight into a minimalist aesthetic which continues to influence international design today.
Under legendary chief designer Dieter Rams who was part-based at the Ulm School of Design, charming objects like the SK4 radio/turntable took shape. Affectionately known as “Snow White’s coffin”, these stereos made a significant impact when they came onto the market in the mid-1950s. Braun appliances were novel in that their users actually displayed them on kitchen counters and bathroom shelves, producing the kind of intimate relationship between product and consumer that you see with the likes of Apple products today. The exhibition doesn’t neglect the links between design, art and politics: in a visually appealing way, the show recalls the milestones from the politically and socially turbulent century of the firm’s existence. You have the opportunity to see this Made in Germany heritage until 29.08.2021.
Text: Hanna Komornitzyk / Photos: Colya Zucker / Credit: Braun-Sammlung Ettel, Berlin; Braun/P&G, Archiv Kronberg; Bröhan-Museum
Bröhan Museum, Schloßstr.1a, 14059 Berlin–Charlottenburg; map
Braun 100 runs until 29.08.2021, Tue–Sun 10–18h, entry €5/8. Online tickets can be purchased here.
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