T1000 Weltempfaenger (world receiver) radio
The T1000 embodies Rams’ belief that well designed products (that have resolved a form for simplicity, intelligibility, utility and longevity) can promote democracy. In the early 1960s, as Germany was emerging from the chaos of World War II, the T1000 radio enabled access to the world with its extraordinary bandwidth and mobility, while its physical form presented order, harmony and economy (three design ideals favoured by Braun from this period). The T1000 stands out for its engineering – the radio was capable of scanning all available broadcasting frequencies – and its restrained physical appearance – when closed the case of anodised and lacquered aluminium presents a unified exterior.
The idea that good design promotes democracy was advocated throughout the Cold War years (1945 – 70). However East and West both engaged in an ideological and aesthetic battle to “demonstrate a superior vision of modernity” through design.
