The Braun T3 transistor radio was designed by Dieter Rams in collaboration with the Ulm School of Design (Hochschule für Gestaltung) and was the first pocket portable transistor radio to come from Braun. The Braun T3 offers a clear illustration of Dieter Rams design principles at work and their continuing influential impact. Most notable of all contemporary homages to Rams' design of the T3 is Jonathan Ive's design of the iPod for Apple. Jonathan Ive has acknowledged that the Apple design lab adheres to Rams design philosophy and his principles of good design.

The glacial style of the T3 was inherent in the Braun product range that Rams had extended his imprimatur to including the SK4 radiogram (or Snow White's coffin) and the Braun RT20 radio. Braun products demonstrated the importance of good design with no sacrifice, they were expensive and technically superior to compeditors and this was reflected as a premium in their purchase - so much so that Braun's owners (Artur and Erwin Braun) had to demonstrate considerable faith and patience in this philosophy before market acceptance prooved it.

Campbell Bickerstaff, 2011

Manufactured by Braun AG, Frankfurt, Germany.

Rams design principles:
Good design is innovative.
Good design makes a product useful.
Good design is aesthetic.
Good design makes a product understandable.
Good design is unobtrusive.
Good design is honest.
Good design is long-lasting.
Good design is thorough down to the last detail.
Good design is environmentally friendly.
Good design is as little design as possible.

The Mac was the preferred computer platform for writers, designers, publishers and was popular amongst academics and students. This Mac was used within the Museum design department in the mid 1990s and was capable of handling audio and video file formats for multimedia development.

Radio receiver, Braun T3 transistor radio, plastic / metal / electronic components, designed by Dieter Rams and Ulm School of Design (Hochschule für Gestaltung), manufactured by Braun AG, Frankfurt, Germany, 1958

Pocket transistor radio in white plastic casing with tuning dial on lower face and perforated chassis above for speaker behind.

Made: 1958

2012/30/1

1958

152 mm

83 mm

41 mm