Unconsciously branded, or: industrial design day

It’s stunning how we unconsciously absorb culture, habits, affinities … that surround us during our childhood and teens. And then, several years (of rebellion) later you find yourself adopting a lot from your parents or other environments you grew up in. In my case it’s apparently the love for good wine. But it’s also an affinity for product design and architecture.

My father runs a self-employed company for “light architecture” (I’m not sure if this expression exists, but you might get the idea), that’s how I got in touch with industrial design, especially in an architectural context. My parents like the design of Dieter Rams and own a Braun Atelier stereo system and sdr+ bookshelves – this must have affected me, too. Hehe.

Well, that’s also how I got to know ERCO, a light manufacturer from Lüdenscheid, Germany. I’m visiting their website on a regular basis just because the projects realized with their products and software tools often fascinate me. Today I remember how I always liked the ERCO logo and identity (designed in The Republic of Rotis) – and it is still one of my favorites, I just don’t draw it as often anymore.

I really like the athmosphere of the following photo (on the route leading to the house you can see ERCO’s Lightmark Bollard luminaires):

I was mentioning software tools before, so I won’t keep them back from you here (the pretty minimal interface design reminds me of better times ;-):

Ok, this was the first part of a short excursion. I’m trying to post some more industrial design related stuff later today.