DESIGN REPORT
German Catalyst
|
Ideamagazine.net aims to propose itself as a tool for design. Within the exciting cultural evolution of the project the magazine has the role of "catalyst" which can increase the speed of firms' reaction to innovation; it is something which increases a process stimulating it constantly. There are already many catalysts of this kind, generally called Design Center, Design Council etc. which take the advantage of many years of experience.
Concerning this, I would like to talk about the long German experience of Rat für Formgebung - German design council, and especially of its "spokesman", the magazine "Design Report" which has been issued monthly for ten years in German language - presently in 13 European countries - and since a short time ago has been supported also by a web site.
While in the very first years of issuing the summary of Design Report was always divided into columns like indications - news and novelties, perspectives - opinions and views - changing commerce, from 1995 on the structure of the summary has started to change, accordingly to the news, so that it has been able to guarantee a more up-to-date character and to foresee opinions instead of being limited to reflect the events.
However, the recurring topics are, as usual, European fairs, competitions, university, the global developing of software - with their invaluable influence on the field - ecology, and market strategies, explained in a simple manner but using high cultural contents. There is a persistent curiosity for Italy, which is full of creative ideas, and its masters, always treated with great respect; for Switzerland called "the cradle of the last tendency between handicrafts and industry"; for Scandinavia, which is rich of planning impulses; for bizarre Japan and its innovating market strategies, and finally for Germany and its research in the field of materials and of the creation of the "know-how" of the firm production. In the German magazine we also find lessons on history of design and architecture. They are not too carefully examined, of course, but, in a nice way, they try to involve in the subject even the reader less expert, in order to give him the chance to understand the decisions to take within a terribly complex world.
Within about 100 pages one can rely on the recurring voice of the present editor Andrej Kupetz (Rat für Formgebung), of the reporter Thomas Edelmann and of the brilliant German designer Volker Albus. In their articles the intention of talking about design in a socio-political context is clear; they provide means to convey the people opinions. So we find interviews with famous people who answer to questions like "Concerning design, what do you read at the moment?", "For what reason did you get angry recently?": the project is discussed in popular terms, in a way that seems to me extremely exciting.
Graphics is clear, understandable, well structured and changes considerably throughout years, in order to make the issue a collection piece. It is a graphics suitable for young and active readers of any kind which frees the world of design from any pretension of high character. The winning secret of the magazine seems to be the strict structure, which, even though it might be given for granted, is not often proposed in such a convincing manner. The design is colourful, pleasant and exciting. Even the advertising is proposed in such a delicate way that succeeds in enriching the graphics instead of suppressing it.
Rat für Formgebung- German design council
Rat-Haus, Messegelände
Ludwig-Erhard-Anlage 1
60327 Frankfurt am Main
Tel. 069/74791
Fax 069/74109-11
Web site: http://www.design-report.de
|
|
|
