What ZACK inherits – Contemporary German Design Today

More than 100 years have passed since the Bauhaus was founded in Weimar. The philosophy of "the integration of art and craft" championed by Walter Gropius was inherited by the Ulm School of Design, and through Hans Gugelot and Dieter Rams, formed the origin of modern product design. In this series, we have traced this lineage through 35 articles, from the prehistory beginning with the Deutscher Werkbund to Rams' "Ten Principles of Good Design."
In this final article, we return to the question, "Where is the legacy of German design now?" As one answer to this, we will look at how contemporary German brands live within everyday spaces.

Functional beauty still exists in Germany

The Bauhaus continuously asked, "What is design for?" Not for ornamentation, but for the user—this idea deepened in Ulm and culminated in Rams' work. What about today?
Since the 1980s, the evolution of digital technology has brought significant changes to product design. Screens have covered the "face" of products, and the physical sense of material and structural logic have receded to an invisible place. Nevertheless, in Germany, the tradition of product design as something tangible—designed to be held, seen, and used for a long time—is still carried on by some manufacturers.
"Good design is long-lasting." Resonating with Rams' 7th principle, creating things that transcend trends and are used across ages is considered one of the conditions of true design. This principle encompasses not only the physical durability of a product but also its aesthetic sustainability.

ZACK's Design Philosophy—Where Rams' Principles Live On

ZACK GmbH, a German brand, produces accessories for living spaces such as bathrooms, offices, and kitchens. It boldly approaches everyday tools like towel rails, soap holders, and toilet brushes—items that are usually almost unconsciously used—as subjects of design.
Heico Linke, the brand's main designer, embodies the concept of "functional beauty stripped of superfluous ornamentation." Upon hearing this, Rams' principles of "good design is unobtrusive" and "good design makes as little design as possible" naturally overlap.
ZACK's products do not assert themselves. A towel rail mounted on a wall quietly exists as part of the space, fulfilling its function without impeding the user's movements. ZACK's products are also designed to enhance the movements of people, who are the main actors in their lives.

The Choice of Hairline Finish—The Relationship between Material and Time

A common feature across many ZACK products is the choice of stainless steel with a hairline finish. This finish, with its fine linear polishing marks on the surface, suppresses gloss while maintaining a sense of quality.
There are practical reasons for the hairline finish. Compared to a mirror finish, fingerprints and minor scratches are less noticeable, making it easier to maintain beauty over a long period while accommodating the changes that come with everyday use. This also connects in some way to Rams' statement that "good design is honest." Instead of hiding the characteristics of the material, it's a design that leverages those characteristics—that is one form of honest design.
Stainless steel itself is a cold material. However, hairline-finished stainless steel softens the hardness of the metal through the subtle texture felt upon touch. This use of material, designed for an everyday tactile experience, can be seen as an extension of the questions posed by the Bauhaus metal workshop in a single teapot.

Resonance between Japanese and German Design

As mentioned in the previous article, "The Design Aesthetics of Germany and Japan—Why Wabi-Sabi and Bauhaus Resonate," there is something in Japanese aesthetics and German design philosophy that draws them together. Valuing empty space, respecting the essence of materials, and not being overly assertive—these manifest as similar aesthetic judgments across cultural differences.
ZACK products may blend well into Japanese living spaces precisely because of this resonance. Our company, Visine Inc., handles sales in Japan and delivers ZACK products to spaces such as bathrooms and offices, not merely as import and sales, but because we believe it functions as a bridge for such aesthetics.
"User-centered design" quietly accompanies the lives of users, regardless of country or culture. When functional beauty born in Germany is placed in everyday Japanese spaces, its philosophy continues to live on there.

Good Design is Long-Lasting—Beauty Rooted in Everyday Life

The materials tested in the Bauhaus workshops, the design logic organized in Ulm, and the ten principles articulated by Rams—all were responses to the question, "How do manufactured objects relate to human life?"
That question continues today. When you consider that a simple towel rail hanging on the wall quietly embodies 100 years of accumulated thought, everyday spaces might start to look a little different.
The lineage we have traced throughout this series is not just something found in history textbooks. The present state of German design is within reach.

Photo: ZACK GmbH. All rights reserved.