Awarding Berker design - Berker switch design in the spotlight

Over the last few months, the new Berker R.1, R.3. and Serie R.classic switch ranges have received a total of 15 awards for design. The Good Design Award, bestowed by the Chicago Athenaeum, the German Design Award (Nominee 2013 + special mention) conferred by the German Design Council and the prestigious iF product design award confirm the quality of Berker product design. Circular switches have been part of the Berker product range since the company was founded in 1919. By winning 15 awards for design within such a short time, Berker has demonstrated yet again its leadership in design expertise as a switch manufacturer.

“The more fast-paced and complex our lives become, the more we long for honest, appealing, contemporary objects; in other words, things that move and touch us today. The excellent Berker R. series products embody these desires.” Emphasises Werner Aisslinger, designer of the award-winning programmes.

This avalanche of awards over recent weeks is also welcomed by Daniel Hager, CEO of Hager Group, which Berker joined in 2010. “Many people have been involved in developing products of such a high standard of design in such a short time. I would like to thank all of them. I am delighted that the new circular switch ranges from Berker, especially the plastic versions, make good design available to everyone at affordable prices.”

Form and function in harmony

Everything began with the new Berker R.1. The soft frame contour combined with a circular centre plate impressed the judges of the Good Design Award in Chicago, as well as those of the iF label product design category and the German Design Council. Due the high quality of participants, for the first time the German Design Council awarded a ‘Special Mention’. This award recognises developments such as the R.1 which feature particularly successful design solutions.

The new Berker R.3 also received numerous accolades. Its appeal lies in the combination of a round centre plate with a bold angular frame. A combination that not only aims to create a visual effect also simplifies its installation in wall trunking systems. The application-oriented design impressed the iF jury, the Good Design experts and The German Design Council.

The Berker Serie R.classic also caught the attention of a design jury, receiving on 22nd Februrary the prestigious « iF gold award » at a ceremony in Munich. In the sub-category « building » of the iF product design award the Serie R.classic is the only design to have been rewarded. Previously, this range won the iF product design award, the Good Design Award and the German Design Award (nominated in 2013) from the German Design Council. With its appealing circular centre plate and striking design featuring a simple toggle, the switch range reinterprets classic round switches and carries tradition into the future in style.

Minimalist operating concepts

However, it was not only the new switch ranges that impressed the jury; the R.1 Touch Sensor KNX and R.3 Touch Sensor KNX room controllers also won important awards (iF product design award, Good Design Award). The R.1 Touch Sensor KNX impressed with its soft contours, simplicity and unusual design. The R.3 Touch Sensor KNX, on the other hand, attracted the jury’s attention with its angular contours and flawless surface. The pared-down, minimalist operating concept of room controllers fits in visually with the Berker R. design switch ranges. The overall aesthetic concept provides the requisite control functions whilst satisfying even the highest of design standards.

The Reddot contest in progress!

Has the tremendous success of the R-Serie come to an end? It’s difficult to say at this point. Indeed, the renowned reddot design Award contest is in progress. You will, of course, be informed of the results…