Design Page DESIGNER
Design Page DESIGNER VIEW Key Trends in Appliance Design “It’s about making life easier” - Gerhard Nüssler, Chief Designer at Siemens-Electrogeräte GmbH High tech mustn’t make life more difficult and throw up new problems; to the contrary, it has to make life easier What key trends are we seeing in design? We put the question to Gerhard Nüssler, Chief Designer at Siemens-Electrogeräte GmbH. The most important design challenge today is the user experience. As our trend report Future Living revealed, people in the 21st century are, above all, longing for things to get simpler, slow down and allow more spontaneity. One way we are enabling this is through connectivity. It gives users more independence by providing mobile control facilities. At the same time, apps provide users with accurate guides, planning aids and so on. For us, a second key design task is simplexity – simple operation of complex technology. High tech mustn’t make life more difficult and throw up new problems; to the contrary, it has to make life easier. When it comes to appliances offering a wide range of options, in particular, it is the most important task for present-day designers to guide users. Users must be able to find their way around intuitively without having to read up on everything. Siemens iQ700 oven with microwave What drives your design innovation? Where do the ideas come from? Siemens’ design is characterised by an evolutionary approach. Our globally recognisable brand design comes from strictly geometric stylistic elements and has kept evolving over many years. Our inspiration therefore always comes from the interplay between our roots and the latest technologies, materials and manufacturing processes with which we are confronted every day as an innovation brand. In the Siemens design, form does not only follow function – form is equivalent to function. What design stars can we see at IFA? This year, our design star is the whole iQ700 series, which includes our first internet-connected builtin appliances. This series comprises hot-air ovens, steam ovens, microwaves, dishwashers and chimney hoods in various models, and is the next stage in the evolution of Siemens’ builtin appliance design. The amount of stainless steel has been cut back considerably in favor of black or white glass. The brand design code – the Siemens two-zone panel – has been retained but new proportions and a fine chrome strip have given it a greater degree of lightness. The consistent horizontal orientation and the consistent panel height mean that all types of appliances can be combined perfectly in all directions without additional installation elements. Whether on top of each other or side by side, glass always meets glass at transitions and the appliances merge into one unit. Gerhard Nüssler Chief Designer, Siemens-Electrogeräte GmbH How important is IFA in terms of driving innovation and ideas? IFA is always a milestone in the year for us. As far as design is concerned, it is also significant as an interdisciplinary event because different product worlds are converging at present due to networking. The first Siemens connected appliances mark the beginning of the complete networking of appliances in households – and beyond. Conversely, developments in the field of smart media are impacting the home appliance sector and this will certainly increase. The boundaries are shifting; the Internet of Things is here. Hall 1.1 / Stand 101 34
Green Page ADVERTORIAL Healthy Life / Healthy Planet Vitality 4 Life demonstrates easy-to-use machines promoting health and wellbeing for all Vitality 4 Life chooses to supply premium appliances that provide real health benefits for our customers and the health of the planet. With a spotlight at IFA on Vitality 4 Life’s BIOCHEF range, the company underlines the fact that all their products are made in a way that recognises the scarcity of our planet’s resources. The Vitality 4 Life Approved Product Range is regarded among the finest health products in the world. While specialising in Cold Press Juicers, their Approved Product Range in fact encompasses a vast range of healthy lifestyle products, including water filtration systems, hyperbaric oxygen chambers, vibration platforms and garden composters. National account manager George Shepherd says Vitality 4 Life design and source products to last a lifetime: “To take our juicers for example, the motors are strong by necessity so that the produce is not sacrificed and is juiced in the correct way, the parts are made from the most durable materials available and we stock a full range of replacement parts. This means they are fully serviceable and are not throw-away items. In an age of disposable appliances, Vitality 4 Life chooses to supply premium appliances that provide real health benefits for our customers and the health of the planet.” Targeting all demographics, the easy to use BIOCHEF range consists of stylish machines that promote “health and wellbeing for all”. Autumn/Winter marketing activity includes a broadened campaign. Building the brand via social media with over 20,000 followers across all platforms allows the company to remain actively engaged. In store, using a marketing team from Lyndale, Vitality 4 Life offers customers exceptional in-store demonstrations creating real “theatre instore”, not just educating the customer, but giving them “a great experience to remember”. Education is key, and plans are in place to make one educational video per week that will then be uploaded and shared via various outlets including various social media platforms. “The aim of these are to offer support not only to the end user but also to our distribution network,” adds George Shepherd. Atlas Slow Juicer Premium Juice extractor with Whisper Quiet operation that will “last forever” Introducing a machine that has been made using over 20 years’ worth of customer feedback. The BioChef Atlas comes with Unique Enzyme Protection Technology, which will keep the Juice alive for up to 48 hours. It’s easy to clean and comes with 5 gifts giving the customer a complete healthy appliance package. KEY USPs Enzyme Protection Technology - providing the best quality living Juice New Larger BPA Free 500ml capacity bowl Juice outlet cap allows users to store juice inside the bowl until they are ready to pour. Living Food Blender The commercial grade machine that protects enzymes and nutrients At last, a commercial-grade blender that comes with BioChef’s unique Enzyme Protection Technology, not only removing the fear of overheating the enzymes and nutrients due to heat caused by friction, but also removing the tedious guesswork when making one’s favourite dishes. The new Living Food Blender by BioChef gives the user 100% control. KEY USPs Effortlessly create smoothies, frozen desserts and hot soups at the touch of a button. BioChef’s EPT makes it easy to control the temperature of your creations, preventing loss of vital nutrients and enzymes. Every blender includes 4 thoughtful gifts based on 25 years of customer research. BioChef Mycook Combining over 10 kitchen appliances in one exceptional European-made machine. Everyone has his or her own lifestyle and way of cooking. BioChef’s new Mycook Thermal Cooker is ideal for the preparation of tasty, balanced dishes with ease, allowing the user to choose the way they enjoy their time. KEY USPs Popular weighing function incorporated inside the machine for accuracy when creating recipes 15 different functions including Grind, Mince, Shred, Emulsify, Whipping, Gentle Mix, Beat, Knead, Fry, Steam, Turbo and Blend. Users can also make and cook pasta and broths to perfection with specific settings. Energy-saving Induction Technology meaning quicker heating and cooling with greater control. www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Tuesday 9 th September 2014 35
