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Universal Design = Intelligent Design!
ZOW exhibition in the architecture lounge in Hall 22.2

Overengineering is out, Universal Design is in! The handling and operation of a product must be evident at first glance, be it a coffee pot, a camera or a cupboard. Universal Design is a form of design which is both aesthetic and functional and is not complicated by superfluous details. It aims to develop products which are equally suited to young and old, big and small and handicapped and able-bodied. At ZOW in Bad Salzuflen from 9 to 12 February 2009, visitors will be able to get an idea of what Universal Design really means. Ideas from the furniture supplier industry which make a statement.

The “a-select” exhibition in the architecture lounge in Hall 22.2 will be all about this design development, which isn’t as new as it seems; it’s just taking time for the market to catch on. A new awareness is stemming from demographic trends – people are getting older and older – and the fact that we’re dealing with a financially strong target group. While the domestic appliances industry has been working with Universal Design for a long time, it is a relatively new concept in the furniture industry. This is another reason for dedicating space to this design development in the architecture lounge at ZOW in Bad Salzuflen, because ZOW has always seen itself as a driver of topics for the future for the furniture industry.

ZOW organiser Survey has been able to bring onboard Frido Jacobs, formerly Head of Design at Miele, and Thomas Bade, Managing Director of Universal Design GmbH, Hanover, to liaise with and assist visitors. ZOW organiser Survey has been able to bring onboard a pioneer of Universal Design in Germany for the exhibition: Frido Jacobs, formerly Head of Design at Miele. Besides things of the daily use “a-select” will show a representative cross-section of ZOW products at which the  requirements of Universal Design can be made transparent. This will include e.g. resistant and easy to clean materials, products which are easy to operate, lettering rich in contrast, non-glare and non-slip properties, successful integration of a supplier part into the furniture (e.g. switch height for a light), the pleasant feel of handles and fittings, acoustic and optical signals, low opening resistance and much more.

Universal Design does not only apply to the design and operability of a product, but it also includes future servicing and maintenance aspects. It plays a role in e.g. whether it is easy or difficult for a fitter to access problem areas, which are where costs can arise. These can be avoided with Universal Design.  

“A product must indicate what it can do at first glance,” explains Frido Jacobs. “But this doesn’t mean that it has to be limited in its functions.” A oven can e.g. be designed in such a way that the normal end consumer and the professional cook or baker can both benefit from it. It is important that both types of user can work out how to operate the oven within a short space of time.  With the exhibition at ZOW, Jacobs aims to create a level of awareness in the furniture industry of the functional and financial benefits of Universal Design. Of course, not all products made by a company can be redesigned in one go, but when new products are being developed, there’s no way of avoiding Universal Design. The market demands it!