Inspired, Adrian Stokes – ASA Design

I’ve always been inspired by modest genius, and can look back on a 30-year career (so far – not dead yet…), grateful to have practised in the shadow of some.

Complex ideas expressed in such a way that most people can grasp them is the art of good industrial design, and the concept of ‘less was more’ is one that made absolute sense when I first came across it – it expressed my own instincts more simply than I ever could.

Recently, there has been a lot in the press about the debt Apple owes to Dieter Rams. Last year, I finally managed to get hold of a biography of him… in German. A career book-ended by consistently good work without boundaries… simple not simplistic, stylish not stylised (a personal mantra). Rams is a genteel giant of contemporary industrial design – not seeking celebrity, just doing his job well.

Looking for inspiration? Look no further, this is as ‘super normal’ as it gets – the difference being the date, 1963. Look closely at this work and then look on the shelves of your local John Lewis as they groan under the weight of the collective ugliness which exemplifies the modern DAB/Internet radio.