Last week I was challenged to choose product that I thought was an example of great design which cost less than £10. This sounded like a difficult task; and it was. Living in a student flat we owned lots of things that cost less than £10. Some of them were well designed too; things like post-it notes or masking tape I, like many, use all the time and have never had an issue with them- but is that “great”? I use my favourite wooden spoon almost every day to cook with which can’t have cost more than a pound or two. It’s durable, feels great in my hand but how much design has gone into it. So yet again I was brought back to what I value in design and what I think of where to find it in cheaper products.
Generically, when I think of great design I jump to cutting edge technologies, new methods of lowering our impact and to influencers that have changed our perceptions and the capabilities of products. Iconic designers like Eames, Rams and Jobs all deserve their own posts on this blog but sometimes simpler design can also be great. For this challenge I chose the desk tidy that’s sat on my desk for the past five years. It was bought from the Bauhaus Design Museum shop as a small souvenir. The museum celebrates and displays the Bauhaus design movement of the early 19th century. The movement, based in Germany between 1919 to 1933, was one of the most important influences on design even decades after it ended due to pressure from the Nazi party. Designers from Ikea to Braun have been inspired by the delicate combination of fine art and functionality at the heart of the movement.
Bauhaus deserves its own essay but this post is about my desk tidy. It is made of five simple, wooden parts that fit together with no adhesives or complex joints. These parts fit together so they can be stored as a simple cuboid but the customer can customise the setup into a variety combinations. The supporting pencil-shaped pillar falls out of a cavity in the base with a simple tap and slots perpendicular into the base so that the other tiers can be stacked in any order or angle. They are held firmly but can rotate with ease due to the exact tolerances and friction in the holes. This effortless movement gives a feel of quality and craftmanship even with its low price tag. The refined details in the tiers offering different functions with a uniform style shows an investment of time and effort into its form- something that reflects the Bauhaus school of thought. The natural unfinished solid birch gives a very pleasing, uniform aesthetic that would be unobtrusive on any desk. The material provides a nice weight; heavy enough to feel solid and durable but light to hold and build. With fear of overusing the word, it’s simplicity is endearing and admirable. I enjoy having it on my desk as a reminder that using just one material and not over designing can still be great. Sometimes there’s no need for bells and whistles when its functional and beautiful.
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