[News from Institutions] Hong Kong Design Institute presents the exhibition “Dieter Rams: Less, but better”
Exploring the “Ten Principles of Good Design” through the iconic works of the pioneer of German industrial design and nurturing well-rounded design talent

Now 93 years old, Dieter Rams is widely regarded as one of the most influential industrial designers of the 20th century. His classic retrospective exhibition is brought to Hong Kong for the first time. The Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI), in collaboration with the Dieter and Ingeborg Rams Foundation (rams foundation) and the Beijing Contemporary Art Foundation (BCAF), is proud to present the exhibition “Dieter Rams: Less, but better” from today until 3 May 2026 at the HKDI Experience Centre. Following its showings in Beijing and Shanghai, this marks the exhibition’s premiere in Hong Kong, underscoring HKDI’s commitment to introducing world-class design to Hong Kong, fostering local design education and cultural exchange.

Dieter Rams spent much of his career at the German consumer electronics company Braun, while also collaborating with furniture manufacturer Vitsœ to create numerous timeless products that remain in everyday use. His work continues to inspire contemporary brands such as Apple and Muji. His guiding philosophy – “Less, but better” – anticipates today’s global concerns around environmental conservation and resource protection. He famously formulated the “Ten Principles of Good Design”: good design is innovative, useful, aesthetic, understandable, unobtrusive, honest, long-lasting, thorough down to the last detail, environmentally friendly, and as little design as possible. These principles continue to shape the global design community, embodying the perfect balance of function and aesthetics while inspiring later generations’ thinking on sustainable design.

Curated by Professor Klaus Klemp, Executive Director of the rams foundation, and Cui Qiao, President of the Beijing Contemporary Art Foundation, the exhibition traces Rams’ creative journey across more than half a century, highlighting how his forward-thinking approach addresses contemporary issues of sustainability and environmental responsibility.

The exhibition focuses on his signature furniture, household appliances, radios, audio equipment, and photographic devices, complemented by selected design pieces, sketches, photographs, and films. Visitors are offered a rare opportunity to engage closely with world-class design, providing valuable inspiration for Hong Kong’s design community and the wider public.

This exhibition has been specially enhanced with two new sections: “Ingeborg Rams’ Photographic Works” and “Braun Clocks and Calculators”. As Dieter Rams’ long-time partner and key collaborator, Ingeborg Rams documented through her photography how Rams put his design principles into practice over nearly half a century. In addition, the “Braun Clocks and Calculators” section presents a display of the design evolution—from folding alarm clocks and digital desk clocks to analogue and digital wristwatches. It showcases the thinking behind “time design” by Dieter Rams and his long-term collaborator, the industrial designer Dietrich Lubs, offering a comprehensive design reference for a new generation of designers.

The exhibition shows how Rams pushed back against growing consumerism by championing rational design and products built to last. It brings his “Less, but better” philosophy to life by focusing on what is essential, creating objects that are genuinely useful, durable, and free from unnecessary excess. The exhibition encourages both the public and future designers to think sustainably and act responsibly in a world of limited resources, and to carry the spirit of “Less, but better” into everyday life and creative work.

Professor Klaus Klemp, curator, said: “Less, but better can apply to many fields, not just design: to the organization of our lives, to our food and drink, or to our communication.”

HKDI has long been committed to bringing great design to Hong Kong and nurturing a culture of creativity. Through high quality exhibitions, the Institute gives the public meaningful access to international design thinking and best practice, helping to energise the city’s creative landscape and strengthen its role as a centre for design education and exchange.

The “Dieter Rams: Less, but better” exhibition reflects this global outlook. By introducing classic German industrial design to local audiences, it supports dialogue, learning, and the continued growth of Hong Kong’s design community.
 

About Hong Kong Design Institute 

Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) is a member of VTC Group. HKDI was established in 2007 with the mission to be a leading provider of design education and lifelong learning, including architecture, interior and product design, communication design, digital media and fashion and image design. With a view to providing professional designers for the creative industries, it promotes the “think and do” approach and encourages interdisciplinary synergy in its broad range of design programmes that cultivate students’ cultural sensitivities and sense of sustainability. HKDI maintains a strong network 
with industry and provides its students with essential practical experience. Overseas exchanges are actively arranged for students to broaden their horizon and international perspective.
Website: http://www.hkdi.edu.hk 

About HKDI Gallery

HKDI Gallery serves as a vibrant exhibition platform for the Hong Kong Design Institute, promoting cultural exchange between East and West in the realm of design. It actively engages with both local and international entities, including renowned museums, celebrated designers, and curators. Each year, HKDI Gallery presents a series of world-class exhibitions featuring a diverse range of disciplines such as graphic design, architecture, fashion, product design, and multimedia.

Notable past exhibitions include “Tonight with the Impressionists, Paris 1874 – An Immersive Expedition in Virtual Reality” (2025), “The Warm-beings: Guangzhou Design Triennial - Hong Kong Exhibition” (2025), “Ma Yansong: Landscapes in Motion” (2024), “Waste Age: What Can Design Do?” (2023), “Zaha Hadid Architects: Vertical Urbanism” (2022), and “Look: The Graphic Language of Henry Steiner” (2021).

Through these museum-quality exhibitions, HKDI Gallery transforms its venue into an educational hub, offering engaging programmes and interactive experiences. These initiatives allow design students, local design community, and general public to exchange design knowledge, explore the creations of design masters, and stay abreast of the latest design trends.

Website: https://hkdi.edu.hk/en/hkdi_gallery/ 

About Dieter and Ingeborg Rams Foundation

Since 1994, the Dieter and Ingeborg Rams Foundation has been committed to supporting responsible and good product design. Dieter Rams has been developing this approach since the mid-1950s for himself, the Braun company, Vitsœ, his students, and the general public. His wife Ingeborg also followed a very similar design path in her work as a photographer. 

Furthermore, the rams foundation aims to contribute to an international discourse on industrial design which includes the promotion of long-lasting and resource-efficient design concepts in theory and practice. The foundation also intends to refocus the term ‘design’, which has become increasingly diluted.

About Beijing Contemporary Art Foundation

Beijing Contemporary Art Foundation (BCAF) is the only independent art foundation and think tank in China focusing on art and humanity. Since the establishment in 2008, BCAF has consistently been aimed to "discover cultural innovation and advance art for social good." The vision of BCAF is “Joy Shared Through Artistic Resonance, Healing Drawn from Creative Energy, Bold Renewal Through Cultural Force.” It’s been dedicated to fostering international cultural exchanges, art-for-social-good funding, think tank research, and related initiatives, for the purpose of making art freely and equally nourish public life.
 
So far BCAF has implemented projects in over 20 countries, including China, the United States, Japan, Germany, providing funding to over 1,500 creators and organising numerous culturally significant projects with international impact, such as China-EU Metropolis Think Tank Summit, 56th International Art Exhibition China Pavilion, etc.

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