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70 years of design history – special exhibition

“70 Years of Design – Masterpieces Selected by Peter Zec”

Red Dot Design Museum celebrates the anniversary of its first exhibition with “70 Years of Design – Masterpieces Selected by Peter Zec”

On 5 October 2025, the Red Dot Design Museum Essen opened its anniversary exhibition “70 Years of Design – Masterpieces Selected by Peter Zec” with a festive matinee. It commemorates the first exhibition promoting design in 1955 and spans the arc from the beginnings in Villa Hügel to the international significance of Red Dot today. The show demonstrates how closely the history of design is linked to the development of the economy, culture and society.

70 years of design history

From Industrieform…
Prof. Dr. Carl Hundhausen
Prof. Dr. Carl Hundhausen

On 30 July 1954, “Verein Industrieform” association was founded at the initiative of the head of Krupp’s Public Relations and Advertising department, Professor Dr. Carl Hundhausen. The aim of the association was to help make a more attractive environment, to modernise German consumer goods and make them fit for export and to be part of transforming the image of Krupp in the wake of the Second World War. The first annual design competition was established in 1955.


When on 5 October 1955, the “Permanent exhibition of attractively designed industrial products” (orig. title: Ständige Schau formschöner Industrieerzeugnisse) opened in Essen’s Villa Hügel, no one could have guessed that it would lay the foundation for one of the world's most influential design institutions. 

Außenansicht kleines Haus der Villa Hügel in Essen

On 30 July 1954, “Verein Industrieform” association was founded at the initiative of the head of Krupp’s Public Relations and Advertising department, Professor Dr. Carl Hundhausen. The first annual design competition was established in 1955 and on 5 October 1955, the “Permanent exhibition of attractively designed industrial products” (orig. title: Ständige Schau formschöner Industrieerzeugnisse) opened as the first exhibition in Essen’s Villa Hügel

1955: Opening of the exhibition at Villa Hügel

1955: Opening of the exhibition at Villa Hügel

In 1961, the product exhibition had to move and found its new home in the Old Synagogue in Essen.

In 1961, the product exhibition had to move and found its new home in the Old Synagogue in Essen.

Permanent exhibition in the Old Synagogue

Permanent exhibition in the Old Synagogue

In 1979, a devastating fire broke out in the Old Synagogue after a short circuit, destroying a large part of the exhibition stock.

In 1979, a devastating fire broke out in the Old Synagogue after a short circuit, destroying a large part of the exhibition stock.

In the post-war period, the exhibition was intended to show that products not only had to be functional, but could also impress with their form. The aim was to make German industrial products more attractive and increase their chances on international markets.

The Industrieform association set out to bring good design into everyday life and raise awareness of design quality. However, the path to this goal was not without obstacles: a change of location, a devastating fire in 1979 and the recurring question of the role of design presented the institution with major challenges.

In 1961, the television programme Deutschlandschau featured a report on the exhibition in the Old Synagogue:

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... to Red Dot
Prof. Dr. Peter Zec im Jahr 1992

Peter Zec, 1992

From the German “Roter Punkt”...

... to the internationally recognised “Red Dot”.

A new era began with the takeover by Professor Dr. Peter Zec in 1991. Zec developed the previously national evaluation platform into a leading, internationally recognised award. To reflect this internationalisation, he renamed the German “Roter Punkt” to “Red Dot” at the turn of the millennium, and shortly afterwards the new logo, designed by Peter Schmidt, was introduced in its current form.

A regional competition developed into a global network that now receives more than 20,000 submissions from over 70 countries every year. Products from brands such as Apple, Porsche, Sony, Braun, Philips and Artemide bear the Red Dot seal, underlining the international significance of the competition.

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The museum as a living platform

Another milestone was the opening of the Red Dot Design Museum in 1997 in the former boiler house of the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex. The industrial building, redesigned by Norman Foster, offers space for around 2,000 exhibits on five floors and is considered the largest exhibition of contemporary design worldwide. Unlike traditional museums, it invites visitors to touch and try out many of the objects. Design should not only be viewed, but experienced.

With additional locations in Singapore and Xiamen, Red Dot has expanded its international presence and established itself as a platform for global dialogue on design. In addition to exhibitions, its offerings include publications and yearbooks that not only document but also stimulate discourse.

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The anniversary exhibition: 70 years of design history

To mark its anniversary, the Red Dot Design Museum Essen is presenting a retrospective of its history with the exhibition “70 Years of Design – Masterpieces Selected by Peter Zec”. Curated by Professor Dr. Peter Zec himself, the show brings together more than 60 exhibits that have become personal milestones for him. The objects illustrate how design drives innovation and changes everyday life.

These include the Fiat Nuova 500 from 1957 (“The dream of freedom and our first car.”), the Sixtant SM 31 electric shaver from Braun (1962, “My first lesson in good design from my father.”), the EA 119 office chair by Ray and Charles Eames (1958, “The chair on which I wrote the book ‘Information Design’.”), the Tizio desk lamp by Artemide (1972, “My start in professional life.”) and the first iPad (2010, “I thought it was completely unnecessary. Then I was proven wrong.”). 

“70 Years of Design – Masterpieces Selected by Peter Zec”

Thomas Kufen, Mayor of Essen, Prof. Dr. Peter Zec, Founder and CEO of Red Dot, Jana and Jova Zec, Vice Presidents of Red Dot, at the Fiat Nuova 500 from 1957

The Fiat 500, known in Italian as the “Fiat Cinquecento”, is a small car with great social and cultural significance. With its compact design and simple technology, it drove the motorisation of broad sections of the population...

... The air-cooled rear engine had 13.5 hp. The fuel tank and boot were located at the front. The small car reached a maximum speed of 85 km/h. It has become a symbol of the economic miracle era, not only in Italy.

Honoured in the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2015: Ferrari 488 GTB

Awarded 2010: iPad from Apple (1st generation)

It was launched in 2001 and promptly won in the Red Dot Design Award: the iPod.

Sony's robot dog AIBO is considered a technical revolution. The Red Dot jury recognised this and honoured AIBO in 1999

Also a Red Dot Award winner: The Nokia 8800

TAG Heuer's ‘Monaco’ watch won the Red Dot Design Award in 2021.

Sixtant SM 31: A technological and design pioneer whose name came from its hexagonal razor blade. The silver-black contrast added a refined, elegant touch
The +Teamgeist, official match ball of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, symbolised unity and team spirit. With 14 welded panels, it achieved a near-perfect spherical shape.
Taraxacum 88, designed by Achille Castiglioni, is a 1988 pendant lamp by Flos with a geometric structure of 20 polished aluminium triangles and 60 arranged bulbs
The Sony Walkman TPS-L2 appeared in 1979 as a portable cassette player for travelling and was to fundamentally change the way we listen to music
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Grand opening

The exhibition opened on 5 October 2025 with a matinee. Professor Dr. Peter Zec welcomed the guests and shared his personal perspective on seven decades of design promotion.

Essen’s Lord Mayor Thomas Kufen also addressed the audience, emphasising the importance of the Red Dot Design Museum for the city and the international appeal of the competition. Guests included representatives from business, politics and the press, as well as numerous friends and companions of the museum.

The matinee combined a review of developments since 1955 with personal insights from Peter Zec, which brought the history of Red Dot to life and highlighted the role of design as a driver of innovation and cultural exchange.

Peter Zec, Thomas Kufen, Jova Zec (from left to right)

Jova Zec, Vice President of Red Dot, welcomed the matinee guests

Thomas Kufen spoke official greetings

Prof. Dr Peter Zec led through the eventful history of the industrial form to the Red Dot

Outlook

The anniversary exhibition is just one highlight in the current programme: the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2026 is currently open for entries. At the same time, the Taiwan Design Research Institute (TDRI) is presenting an exhibition of award-winning Taiwanese design in collaboration with Red Dot. This will be followed on 7 November by the Red Dot Award: Brands & Communication Design ceremony in Berlin. In addition, design promotion in Japan has been strengthened with a new cooperation agreement between Red Dot and the Japan Industrial Design Association (JIDA).

All this clearly shows that the promotion of design never rests. Red Dot remains an institution that makes design history visible and at the same time helps shape the future of design.