Design models

The Museum Angewandte Kunst's design collection comprises not only objects from series production, but also a large number of models, model series, and prototypes that make the product design process comprehensible. They are integral to the design process and elucidate how certain decisions about the form, material, color, and functionality of a product were made. The here assembled trove of models is an extraordinary collection for the museum because prototypes and design models are not necessarily intrinsic to the collection concept of the responsible curators.

Since design models are usually unique pieces, they require custom care. For the conservation of the objects and the development of storage solutions, the museum employed a conservator specializing in plastics and composite objects from 2021 to 2023. As part of this project, an in-depth exchange arose between the museum and the Braun design department. The resulting perspectives on the design model are presented in the publication: Thought Made Material: The Model between Design Process and Museum Collection (av edition 2024).