Good design always needs courage

BORA: Prof. Dr. Zec, you are a board member of the Design Zentrum NRW and organiser of the Red Dot Award, one of the most prestigious international design prizes. How many products were nominated for the Red Dot Award in 2017? Product Design advertised?

Peter Zec: More than 5,500 new products were submitted this year. This is a new record in history. Manufacturers and designers from 54 nations have decided to take part. These include traditionally strong design countries such as Germany, the USA and Taiwan, but increasingly also newcomer countries such as Estonia and Lebanon. We are also seeing an increase in submissions from China.

BORA: Is it mainly large, globally active industrial companies that are endeavouring to have their products labelled?

Peter Zec: For global brands and design giants, taking part in a competition such as the Red Dot Design Award is an absolute must. This is because the Red Dot award is an external evaluation of their work. Another important benefit is differentiation on the market, as the Red Dot label is recognised by end consumers as a seal of quality. Larger companies or global players may at first glance appear to be better placed than SMEs to compete regularly and with several products, as they have more resources at their disposal. But quantity is no guarantee of an award. Company structure and size do not play a role here. Because what counts in the judging process is the excellence of the design achievement. And good design has long since established itself as the key to a successful corporate policy in small and medium-sized companies too.

Willi Bruckbauer: This also applies to BORA. Right from the start. We attach great importance not only to being top in terms of quality, marketing and pricing policy. For us, design is a central component of our company and at the same time a matter of the heart. We want to make the world in the kitchen more beautiful, and of course that requires a convincing appearance.

Peter Zec: Which you have now proven. The new BORA Professional was honoured in the "Best of the Best 2017" category.

Willi Bruckbauer: Yes, that made us very proud! In all modesty, I can say that we are in the fortunate position of receiving one award or another from time to time. But to receive the Red Dot Award for a completely new product that had only been on the market for a few months at that time also says something about the strong innovative power of this development. We feel very honoured to be playing in the premier league.

BORA: What characterises the success of companies whose design is style-defining?

Peter Zec: Successful design is not predictable. Design is about playing with possibilities in a targeted way: The opportunities and prospects offered by design must be recognised. This requires creative minds that are sensitive to technical and cultural developments and have decisive ideas. Style-defining companies that have recognised the potential of design as an economic factor then give these ideas room to develop.

Willi Bruckbauer: Although the design factor is firmly anchored in our company's DNA, we are not primarily concerned with the label "style-defining". But, of course, interchangeability in design is an absolute no-go for us; it doesn't fulfil our requirements in any way. We have the ambition to want to create something special and always be one step ahead. Sometimes it's a balancing game: To be and remain successful, you have to act quickly on the market, drive innovation and set trends. However, this also takes time to mature and requires sensitivity. Because we work on the basis that our products are thoroughly and prudently tested developments that stand up to the scrutiny of the target group. The market is a good and, incidentally, tough indicator of our endeavours. How is a product received? We are dealing with a very knowledgeable and discerning audience today. We take this very seriously. And this applies to the end customer as well as to our important retail partners, who scrutinise us honestly and critically and provide us with continuous feedback. Which in turn has a very constructive effect on us.

BORA: Is there such a thing as a guarantee of success or basic values that transcend time and characterise good and successful design?

First and foremost, design has to work. If it doesn't work, it's useless. This is the fundamental characteristic that a well-designed product must have. In addition, a designer must ensure that a product is also convincing in use. It was also intended to entice consumers with its appearance and shape. Good design goes hand in hand with the aim of contributing to a continuous improvement in quality of life. Design is about permanent change and further development. No designer will question the function of a chair, but they will question changes in sitting habits or aspects of material and design language.

Willi Bruckbauer: I see it exactly the same way. Also very important: Good design must also have the courage to radically question and overturn the status quo. Otherwise BORA would never have been successful. Function was of course the top priority in my development: The trigger I wanted to develop should pull better than the conventional ones. And of course the shape, the dress so to speak, should be seductive - if you can use this term for a technical product. For me, it was primarily about improving the kitchen as a place to feel at home. And that still drives my entrepreneurial thinking today. Because the wheel keeps turning, you have to keep your finger on the pulse. Especially when it comes to the design of a product. There is always a zeitgeist.

Peter Zec: Zeitgeist is a good keyword. In my view, various trends can be recognised in product design. In materials research and product design, attempts are made to imitate organic processes and procedures found in nature. In addition, more and more designers are grappling with questions about robotics. Devices that operate autonomously and have artificial intelligence are already playing a major role in everyday life.

BORA: And in your opinion, what trends are currently characterising the kitchen sector in particular?

Peter Zec: For many people, the kitchen is a centre of life with traits of a status symbol. In an open-plan kitchen, you don't just cook, you live. That's why the kitchen must meet individual requirements in every respect. When furnishing the kitchen, attention is paid to high-quality materials as well as energy efficiency and new solutions such as downdraft extractors integrated into the hob. In addition, "smart" kitchen appliances such as fridges and ovens will continue to establish themselves.



Willi Bruckbauer: Let me interject something. We recently hosted Bavarian television in Raubling. A film was shot on the subject of "The kitchen as an altar". It was about exceptionally high-quality kitchens, which were correspondingly more expensive than average. There are now quite a lot of them, as we are clearly noticing here. So perhaps it is true that the kitchen has replaced the car as a status symbol. However, the TV programme, in which BORA products were installed in the kitchens shown, went even further. Namely: The kitchen is a place that can almost radiate something reverent, almost sacred, for its own sake, because of its extraordinary design and equipment. That is the thesis. And indeed: Our planners also recognise this approach in the customer requests. The point here is that products are needed that blend in discreetly, elegantly and unobtrusively, but with a distinctive touch. And BORA already seems to be a household name in the market. However, this is only our intention on the surface. Despite all its beauty, elegance and extravagance, the kitchen can and should always remain a place for family, socialising and real life. A fireplace where you can warm yourself.

Peter Zec: I would like to add something else: The perfect combination of aesthetics, technology and practicality plays a major role in kitchen design. "Made in Germany" therefore has a special appeal because it is associated with excellent product quality, which is particularly desirable in the kitchen segment. Because kitchen fittings and appliances are usually bought for a longer period of time.

BORA: Let's take a quick leap into the future. The kitchen of tomorrow: What fundamental innovations can we expect?

Peter Zec: I cannot give a generalised answer for all product categories. But I think that in future, kitchens will be increasingly characterised by automated appliances with sophisticated voice and analysis functions. Digital assistants will increasingly find their way into products. Ovens already have sensor technology, and many kitchen appliances can be controlled via apps from mobile devices such as tablets or smartphones. Robotics as well as computer and information technologies will definitely play an important role, especially because there will be exciting symbioses with other products. Just think of how many individual devices the smartphone already combines today. In addition, social and ecological issues will have to take centre stage. With everything that will be technically possible in the future: It is still extremely important that people remain the focus of designers. Especially when very complex processes are increasingly taking place inside the appliances and the exterior is increasingly characterised by reduction and simplicity. A balance between modern technology and emotional needs is particularly important in the designs - also in the kitchen area.

Willi Bruckbauer: Absolutely agree. The kitchen market is developing at breakneck speed. And who knows what might be standard in ten years' time that still seems unimaginable to us today? In retrospect, take us as the best example. We said we wanted to revolutionise the kitchen. The vapour belongs downwards, not directly into the nose. Such a simple principle - and yet nobody wanted to go along with it at first. Today, however, our prints are already standard; the principle has become established within just a decade. So it is the seemingly simple, the easily explainable that is convincing. Of course, our products incorporate sophisticated technology and we are working flat out on innovations. However, this cannot be a trigger with which the telephone, the garage door, the television, the blinds, the alarm system and, if possible, the electric lawnmower can be connected at the same time. What I'm trying to say in a somewhat bold way: Despite everything that might be feasible, we will remain at the centre of our future developments. And in addition to all the theoretical possibilities, he likes it to be convincing and easy to use. After all, the kitchen is not a research laboratory for high-tech chefs who use high-tech gadgets instead of vegetables, but a place of pleasure, enjoyment and sensuality. That's why our premise for new developments is, despite all the sophisticated technology that is already in BORA products today: Keep it simple and stupid.

BORA: This leads me to a question: How do you feel about the kitchen and cooking in your private life?

Peter Zec: As a passionate amateur chef and co-owner of a Michelin-starred restaurant in Berlin, I also enjoy cooking high-quality food in my private life. I had a clean and stringent stainless steel professional kitchen custom-built in Italy, which would also fulfil the requirements of a star chef. As for the food: I love the variety of Asian cuisine, which uses lots of fresh ingredients. And I really like Mediterranean dishes. I enjoy classic dishes such as antipasti or stuffed pasta just as much as a nicely roasted piece of meat. I also appreciate the importance of food culture in society and the communal aspect of the meal.

BORA: Do you also pay attention to good design when arranging the plates?

Peter Zec: Quite simply: yes! As with a product, seduction also plays a decisive role when it comes to food: I must work up an appetite at the sight of a dish.

Willi Bruckbauer: For me, the look is very important, no question about it. But what comes first for me is the purchase. I pay attention to good food, high quality. I come from Rosenheim and make sure that the products come from the region wherever possible. And as a Bavarian, I of course also enjoy sitting in the beer garden with a beer and pretzel. But cooking at home is much more important to me, especially with my family. And I am happy when I have been able to convey the value of good food to our little ones. Incidentally, I do the same in the company. We have established a voluntary staff cookery scheme, and the simple rule here is: If it's something healthy that's on the table, then I'm happy to invite people round and pay for it. I'm not a missionary, but if you work and live passionately in the kitchen world, that's an important point, and I believe that good food keeps you healthy. That's not zeitgeist, to return to this topic, but simply delicious and sensible. Which is not an obvious combination.

Mr Bruckbauer, Prof Dr Zec: from design to technology to cooking - thank you very much for the interview.

Text: Klaudia Meinert