designattitudes+ triggersdesigntradition + ambition

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In the beginningthere was the wall recess...

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Hager electric cabinet with meter boards, 1961

...then came Hager! For a long time design and electrical engineering seemed to have little in common with each other. Way into the 1950s, cables for energy distribution in both France and Germany were housed in a simple recess in a wall. An electrician would install the connections and a carpenterdid the rest, usually with a wood plank. The two brothers Hermann and Dr. Oswald Hager decided to take a closer look at this scenario, dis- covering the recess to be a key market niche.

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In the early 1960s Hager ‘rein-vents’ electrical installations –with the first mass-produced en-closure for the German market(see page 5). Five decades later –today’s meter box univers Z withmultimedia hub.

As of 1974 a new order is estab -lished inside the enclosure – byintroducing a modular system.The protective devices, switch-gear and control units made byHager are all recognizable from acontinuous blue design line. Theillustration shows the current sin-gle-pole, 16 amp miniature cir-cuit breaker.

The takeover in 1996 of therouting specialist Tehalitpaves the way for new de-sign opportunities. Hager’swall, ceiling and floor ductsstill frequently impact mod -ern office architecture – forexample the tehalit.SL skirt -ing system from 2010.

In 2007 Hager sets new trends in liv -ing space with the kallysto® range ofswitches. A completely new wiringtechnique is embedded in the stylishrocker element.

2009: Once again a niche productbecomes a design highlight – thesmall golf distribution box sets newelectro-aesthetical standards in morethan 70 countries worldwide. Readmore on page 14.

„We were already into designwhen the word itself was littleknown in Germany.”

Hermann Hager and Dr. Oswald Hager

From the 1950s until now

Hanover Fair 1959Brothers Hermann and Dr. Oswald Hagerpresent the first meter panel made from Ba-kelite. This becomes an eye-catcher and issoon in demand. The first thermoplastic in-plate system follows in 1960. The followingyear sees the first mass-produced enclo-sure. “These two innovations – the box thatreplaced the wall recess and the meterpanel with inplate system–virtually functionedlike a can opener” says Hermann Hager in retrospect. Within no time at all the pre-viously unknown ‘Hager Elektro-PlasticOHG’ becomes the technological pioneer inthe field of energy distribution and has re- tained this position to the present day.

50,000 products laterDuring the following decades Hager extendsits system-linked range step-by step. Withits modular appliances and routing systemsas well as switch ranges and intuitive userinterfaces, the company develops from the‘niche expert’ into a cross-the-board sup-plier of electro-technical appliances for in-telligent residential and commercialbuildings. Along with the expansion of sys -tematic diversity, demands made on designgrow too. Every product has a differentfunction and each of those functions callsfor an individual shape – without renouncingHager’s origin.

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The next step

Erwin van Handenhoven and Daniel Hager in front of the historic alternating current generator at Hager-Winco.

“By bringing Hager-Winco intobeing, we are aspiring to a long-term design cooperation in orderto make our products even moreattractive, more user-friendly andmore self-sufficient than they already are.”

A bright futureIn the long term this means Hager-Wincowill continue to pursue its successful co-operation at the same time as extending itsscope of activities. The aim is to unifyfunction with emotion even more at modularlevels while integrating these functions intothe most diverse of cultural parameters. AndHager-Winco is the perfect interface toreach this goal with. The design team worksin an ancient hydroelectric power plantclose to the German-French border nearStrasbourg. The inspiring area fosters anawareness of cultural multiplicity and at thesame time creates ideal prerequisites foropening up to new markets and broadeningindividual horizons.

A productive encounter Hager’s product spectrum has long sinceoutgrown its original horizons. Today anelectrical installation at home or in the officehas taken over numerous direct func tions.And where a person comes into direct contact with technology, that same technol -ogy should conversely touch the user – onan aesthetic, a haptic and most importantlyan emotional level. Aware of the situation,Hager took up the challenge and decided toinvite the industrial designer Erwin van Han-denhoven to look into this phenomenon inthe late 1990s. Van Handenhoven obliged!Their successful interaction culminated in amemorable meeting where Daniel Hager,CEO of the Hager Group, and Erwin vanHandenhoven made the decision to start upan independent design agency. In May 2009Hager-Winco was launched.

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Eco design

Packaging design

Communication design

Product design

4Ddesign

A well rounded package – our holistic design approachConventional product design is generallydetermined by three coordinates – length,width and height. We prefer to go a stagefurther and consider what has preceded andwhat will follow a product. How will itevolve? How should it best reach our cus- tom ers? And in which way are we going to‘sell’ it to them? All these aspects constituteour all-embracing design approach. And asthis extends beyond three-dimensional prod -uct thinking, we refer to it as 4D design.

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More than veneerFor more than five decades, Hager hashandled functionality and system reliabilityas top priorities. This is reflected in theshape of our products. Being steeped instructural design tradition, Hager sees to itthat a technological product is not simplyenveloped with an elegant shell but develo -p ed with functionality in mind. The outwardappearance mirrors the inner structure – andappearance is becoming ever more impor-tant today.

From hidden treasures...The modern word ‘design’ extends way be -yond classical precepts. We accordingly havetwo categories for it. One comprises systemsthat predominantly flourish in obscurity suchas our modular appliances. First and fore-most, they need to convince the specialist.This is where we focus on functional aspectssuch as ease of installation, safety and con-forming to standards.

The more the meter box develops into anenergy switchboard – thanks to the arrival ofsmart metering and home networks –, themore visible our ‘hidden beauties’ become.This is the reason why we provide uniformityand clear visuals – for example with the con-tinuous blue Hager line.

...to room exhibits The second category constitutes productsthat the end user often comes into contactwith – no matter whether they take the formof innovative light switches made from realmaterials or intuitive user interfaces for mon -itoring technology in buildings. They notonly have to ‘function’ from a technical pointof view but also from optical and hapticones as well. This is where we focus on anunambiguous design terminology, high-qual -ity surface design and expressive materials.A good design is one that one likes to touch– and one that is touching too.

From function to emotion

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Fromtheidea to theideal

Does a meter box have to look like a meterbox? Erwin van Handenhoven may haveasked himself this question in 2008 whenhe was commissioned to develop a newsmall distribution board for Hager. He pre -s ented his sketches to more than 200 cus- tomers from six countries. Following highlyproactive dialogues which we refer to as‘the customer’s voice’ and ‘the customer’semotion’, a complex design process evolvedfor a completely new type of enclosure –the golf. The product is a multi-talent whichthanks to a platform strategy connects inmore than 70 countries worldwide – a realmilestone in that a technical appliance has,for the first time ever, been transformed into a piece of wall furniture.

Dress codeWhen it comes to dress,there is a fitting code forevery occasion. The samegoes for design and this iswhy we draw up the scopefor our future activities at anearly stage. The new golf isto function as an axis be -tween a technical interiorand a human exterior.

AmbitionAt this point we defineour objectives and wish -es. With the golf, this involved developing atotally new design for atechnical device – with -out renouncing its Euro-pean roots.

BriefingIn the next step, the exactproject requisites are stip -ulated as well as how tofulfil them. The golf shouldnot be too technocraticand not too playful. It is tobe clear-cut and powerful,geometrical, but also emo-tional. And by no meanssterile or boring!

Play timeDuring this stage we playaround with every possi-ble element that comes tomind and into our hands,including materials, pho-tos, words and drawings– in search of interestingcorrelations and surpris -ing combinations.

ConceptsAt this point the singleconstituents are blend - ed into a coherent entity. The visionaryaspects expressed atthe briefing material-ise in real, tangibleshapes.

FocusWe then develop theproduct’s final shapeand once again test itwith our target groups.The first productionsteps are likewise clos e -ly coordinated with the design department.

Display timeIn the ensuing stage,we gather and evaluatefeedback from our cus-tomers – the specialiststhrough to the endusers. This is followedby fine tuning.

Hooray timeAfter just over a year, thenew golf is now ready. Notonly does it convince Hagercustomers the world over,but international expert ju-ries bestow it with the 2010red dot design prize andthe 2011 Good DesignAustralia award.

GOODDESIGNAUSTRALIA

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Wrapping, not wasting Our customers not only rate what it is theyacquire from Hager but also how it is pre-sented to them. And the product packagingis also of fundamental significance when itcomes to logistics, storage and distribution– not forgetting the life cycle assessmentelement. So that is why we tested all pack -aging elements extensively. When doing this,we focused on three aspects: better pro-tection, a greater degree of recognition andless material consumption. Hager’s new packaging materials meet all three require-ments outstandingly – as confirmed by theiF-packaging award 2011.

Less is moreSince 2010, we have exclusively been usingrecycled paper without virgin pulp compo-nents and without composite materials thatare difficult to separate. By consistentlyusing brown paper, we have done away withthe need for chemical bleaching agents andreduced the use of printing inks down toone sixth of previous needs. In addition tothis, ingenious structural designs have en-abled us to significantly reduce our card -board requirements. The results after yearone: more than 300,000 m2 less corrugatedboard and 130,000 kg less CO2 emissions!

Time to ‘wrap’. A new packaging design

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A clean job – thanks to Eco design

transport

manufacturing

raw material extraction

recycling

use and reuse

Exemplary sustainabilityWhen creating something new, one automati-cally co-creates one’s environment – be itone’s immediate four-walled space or theworld outside. That is why we not only takecare developing products that stand outtechnically, but do so in a way so as to createa minimal impact on the environmental ba-lance. As a family-owned company we con sis -tently focus on sustainable development and have even given our philosophy a nameof its own – E3.

Make more from lessE3 is a comprehensive concept for treatingour planet’s limited resources in a responsibleway. That is why our factories across theworld adhere to the maxim ‘make more fromless’. In real terms this means that eleven ofHager’s production plants are already certi-fied under the ISO 14000 environmental management standard and that we are continually reducing our ecological footprint,at the same time as advancing technology inthe right direction.

Thoroughly thought-outAll Hager product innovations are developedaccording to ecological design principles. Inpractise, the complete life cycle of a futureHager product is meticulously examined interms of procuring raw materials, the manu-facturing process, transport and the use ofthe product itself right through to recycling ordisposal. When making a ‘life cycle assess-ment’ the environmental effects of each prod -uct phase are taken into account andrecorded. If they are not acceptable, we goone better by changing the product or by im-proving the production process. All improve-ments are evaluated on a regular basis andfurther optimised where necessary.

From individual to individual –communication design and corporate architecture

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We begin by listening...If one wants to give the right answers toclient’s questions, one prerequisite is im-perative – being a good listener. This is a tradition at Hager. So before we begin designing, we take a good look at our targetgroup – especially their habits, their needsand wishes but also their concerns. We thenintegrate these first-hand insights into ourdevelopment and design processes.

‘Winning’ customer proximityBy means of its ‘presentation islands’ attrade fairs, Hager invites visitors to takepart in a dialogue in a unique way. This met h -od received recognition back in 2008 in theform of the iF communication designaward.

Communicative climateOur staff also benefit from such interaction.The new administrative building in Blieskastelis representative of Hager’s corporate archi-tecture. It leads the way for an even moreopen-office culture and has been designed asan ‘interactive’ work space using the latestmultimedia technology.

...and then we talk!A discussion held in confidence with a cus-tomer will likewise be cultivated in the re-verse direction. This will take the form of avisit or call from our sales staff or at a moregeneral level, through classical print or digi-tal media. This active interchange serves asbasis for and has been the driving force be-hind our success for more than 50 years.

Hager Group Corporate Communications

Hager SEZum Gunterstal66440 BlieskastelDeutschland

www.hagergroup.net

Hager Group Corporate Communications

Hager SEZum Gunterstal66440 BlieskastelDeutschland

www.hagergroup.net

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“Everything you seeand touch highlightsthe notion of easeand quality.” Daniel Hager

CEO Hager Group

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Our corporate philosophy Design at Hager is not an afterthought whichis superimposed on technology, but evolvesfrom the core of the product. Going a stepfurther one could even intimate that designgrows from the inner values of our company.Our products mirror our attitude and this atti-tude manifests itself in our products.

Our design attitudesBased on this corporate mindset, our de-signer Erwin van Handenhoven has derivedseven unique principles that inspire and dis-cipline day-to-day work with products forHager and, where it is necessary, makeamendments to them. Read on to discoverErwin’s thoughts on design.

From mind to matter

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genero-city#01attitud

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A design respecting the client anda proposition that delivers somethingmore and better than expected.A sincere experience that links oneto humanity. An exquisite, sustainable‘civilized’ design.

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tail-spirit#02attitud

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100% design that omits nothing,focusing on the smallest details.As human beings we perceiveand feel the quality and the beautyof things. Superficial approachesalways have a price to pay!

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geomorganics#03attitud

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Friendly structured design withclear and clean form statements.Avoids completely loose and fuzzyshaping. Female and male aspectsconverge into a balanced unity.

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controlhedo#04attitud

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Design as a serious pleasure!A way of creating things to enrichdaily life with small delights. Nothingis overdone. Emotions are perfectly curbed. An inside smile is retained.

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sensociety#05attitud

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Design should make sense.Common sense or new sense butno nonsense. Sometimes designhas an international meaning. Conversely, it is often closelylinked to culture, history, context,social environment and perception.Sense the sense.

simplimate#06attitud

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Simplicity that sublimates.Reducing a form language to essential quality and style. Avoiding ‘over-design’ and ‘over-weight’. Searching for authentic and easy design that suggestsmore than it shows.

yousability#07attitud

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Design for the real world and forpeople. Not exclusively for designersor experienced specialists. Designfor young and old, large and small,fully-abled and disabled, relaxed andstressed. Everybody deserves abetter experience.

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Our design triggersAn English proverb alleges “You never have asecond chance to make a first impression”.And whatever deliberations and attitudes ourproducts embody, it is paramount that they ap-peal to the onlooker – when first seen, touchedand used. So as to accomplish this we employa range of design triggers.

From implementation to temptation

mat-mutAtrigg

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Material Mutation. Playing with different materials and finishes ismore than just a decorative concept. It fits to the architecturalapproach for wall appliances inhome interiors – both visible and invisible. It also extends the expres-sional range from standard via medium to premium. And it en -hanc es the product family life.

ergo-iconsBtrigg

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‘Ergo-icons’ are interface elementswith strong visual user impact. They improve ergonomics andbrand recognition as they operatesimilarly to icons. Hager ‘ergo-icons’are to be deployed on all thebrand’s control modules.

light-factorCtrigg

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Light is immaterial magic! It increases the emotional impact ofthe product. And it suggests activityand elegance – the ‘life inside’. It often also helps as an ergonomicfunction indicator. New ways toguide, filter and animate light aresignificant design features.

soft/hardDtrigg

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Venturing with unexpected andexciting material contrasts andcombinations. A sensory trip fromhard towards soft creates littletactile pleasures. Sensory richnessis design richness.

2 ½-DEtrigg

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Flatness, slimness, sleekness.Many high-tech products are heading in this direction. They become easy to move and easy to carry. They disappear from thewall and look a lot smarter. As a result we get micro-design and...graphics.

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Design needs a face

Erwin van HandenhovenDesigner for Hager

Erwin van Handenhoven is a qualified indus-trial designer. Subsequent to his thesis onnon-aggressive vehicle design at AntwerpUniversity, he took up a professorship at theCompiègne University of Technology in1981. Under his direction, a new productdevelopment department was establishedat the Belfort-Montbéliard University ofTechnology in 1986. Between 1992 and2009 he managed the CRIPS design centre– an offspring of the university. In 1999 hebegan working together with Hager. Eversince Erwin van Handenhoven has been re-sponsible for the design language of manyHager innovations – and from May 2009, asan official Hager partner with his Hager-Winco design agency.

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A discussion with Erwin van Handenhoven

Erwin – how did your cooperation withHager come about in the first place?

Erwin: It began to grow like a small, delicateplant – slowly and from the bottom up.

What did that mean in practical terms?

Erwin: At Hager we didn’t start with designitself, but with the design process – workingon the method. You have a behind-the-scene view of where we work, how we workand how we think. Before a plant can grow,it is essential for a root system to be laiddown.

And after that?

Erwin: Then we had to prove theory inpractice – and of all things, with a modularappliance! Right from the outset, the crea-tive leeway was extremely limited. Thesmallest detail became the biggest chal-lenge. But in close cooperation with Hager’sdesign engineers, we were plausibly able toshow which direction things would go.

Tell us about this direction.

Erwin: With our very first project we reachedour initial goal – market acceptance. This resulted in increased confidence at Hager,leading to many more projects. And word finally got around to Hager’s managementboard. So that delicate plant graduallybegan to turn into a sturdy tree, with rootsbased on understanding and trust.

What has been the most exciting productyou have designed for Hager?

Erwin: It’s not always the product itself thatis exciting. The initial sighting makes it excit -ing. A sports car may appear interesting at afirst glance, a light switch after a secondlook and a modular appliance after the third.One has to keep looking until the productreveals its most hidden features. Seen fromthis perspective, Hager only has excitingproducts!

Sounds fascinating! Could you please gointo more detail?

Erwin: The elation created by Hager prod -ucts is not only surface-related – it goesmuch deeper. Hager offers us a rare oppor-tunity to open up the entire spectrum of ourcreative ability, enabling us to consider themost minute detail which is often invisible.The designer becomes an explorer, even ifhe or she just sits at a drawing board. Thedeeper I can delve into things, the more fas-cinated I get – and the more satisfied I am in the end.

Which Hager switches do you use at home?

Erwin: Interestingly enough, although I livein France, I use the German kallysto® switchline. Mind you I don’t view ‘my’ switches astrophies on the wall but as vital research ob-jects, which over the course of time will pro-vide me with useful feedback. This is rather

different from laboratory tests or group dis-cussions. Who knows what opportunitiessuch long-term experience will disclose –openings which can then be integrated intothe development of existing products or thecreation of new ones.

How will Hager’s design change in the com ing years?

Erwin: In the past electricity used to be as-sociated with danger. In the meantime ithas become our friend. Hager has made aconsiderable contribution to this develop-ment. It has actually given energy a faceand, even in the current discussion aboutenergy, it must not lose this face. In addi-tion to safety and reliability, an emphasis isincreasingly being placed on ecology andsustainability. The individual needs to experience theseaspects first-hand via products – withoutneglecting technological and aestheticaspiration.

How many products have you already designed for Hager?

Erwin: No idea…quite a lot!

Thanks very much for your time, Erwin.

From a glance to having insight

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Product stories

Genero-city – electric car charging station Emotions without emissions – that’s what the new Hager charging stations deliver. This is made pos-sible by using two sockets – each for two e-cars. Each facility combines environmental protectionwith an ornamental use – the elegantly styled ‘city trees’ generate soft-light street illumination whichat the same time serve as an invitation to stop and look.

Tail-spirit – kallysta light switch Design well conceived – the French kallysta switch line takes established premium design a stage fur -ther, not stopping at the exterior. Behind the switch’s surface, ergonomic benefits including decrea-sed installation depth, retractable anchors and QuickConnect terminals convince the specialist. Whatappears as ‘missing’ is perceived as positive space.

Geomorganics – convenient radio remote controlSimply versatile – Hager’s new generation remote controls are a case to argue against the increasingloss of control over house and consumer electronics which are becoming ever more complex. All thefunctions can be allocated and called up flexibly. Simplicity is both visible and tangible. Switchingbecomes a sensual experience in that some keys are convex and others concave.

Controlhedo – tehalit.SL skirting systemThe dematerialization of cable management – from an aesthetic point of view, wall cable ducts aregenerally regarded as suboptimal. We have made a virtue out of necessity by creating the tehalit.SLbaseboard system which is as light, elegant and ‘invisible’ as possible. This is achieved by its slimcontouring and the floating appliance holder with a lateral mirror face. Installation time is equally‘slim’ thanks to innovative click-into-place technology.

Sensociety – essensya light switch Revolution from below: a nation’s interior design lifestyle and approach to work can partly be ‘de-coded’ from the way a switch is used. So before designing a new switch, a designer needs to knowand understand cultural ‘switching circuits’. Only then is he or she in a position to completely re-create them. And this is exactly what has happened with the successful French essensya switch line.It’s a concept that just goes click!

Simplimate – small golf distribution board One for all and all for one – thanks to its innovative platform strategy, Hager’s new golf is used in morethan 70 countries worldwide. Various national norms had to be complied with at a technical level whileoptically, an internationally uniform design language had to be found. The new golf by Hager makesmodern technology ‘liveable’ – in every room and in every country.

Yousability – programmable room thermostatTo hang or to stand alone – a question with an easy answer! The programmable room thermostatcontrols room temperature and can be located anywhere as it can either be hung or situated as wished. And the more one looks at it, the more one discovers – thanks to its icon-assisted menu navigation, intriguing light management and haptically interesting textures.

Mat-Mut – the kallysto.art frame There is little to discuss when it comes to good technology, but one can have an opinion about theright frame. So that is why Hager takes note of the most diverse user wishes when it comes to livingareas. These are usually fulfilled by making straightforward changes by using different materials, tex-tures, colours and shapes. There’s a solution to fit everybody’s taste.

Ergo-icons – design studiesWe turn ergonomics into ‘iconomics’! By using Ergo icons, Hager translates the functional diversityof its systems into a unified look. Hager Ergo icons look and feel good and unambiguously revealtheir origin. For this very reason they are going to characterise future Hager design when it comes touser interfaces.

Light-factor – a design study of shutter control systemsLight is life. This is why light design – although immaterial – is an essential element in each and everyproduct. It literally sheds light on product functions and facilitates ease of application. It also eluci-dates the product’s character – whether for example it is precious, elegant or unpretentious. And itlivens up statics by playing with the surface and reflecting prominent details.

Soft/hard – mobile remote controlHelping hand and great to hold in one. Hager’s new mobile remote controls are equipped with a softouter rubber ring which is a pleasure to have in one’s hand. The ‘hard’ element is that all functions can becalled up using individually programmable keys. This is how Hager makes technical abstraction tactile!

2 ½-D – the tebis KNX domovea interface Everything is becoming flatter – TV sets, computers and mobile phones. But the shallower they get,the more they contain – and the more important each detail becomes. This is an increasing techno- logical and design challenge. Hager picks up on the ‘slim line’ ideal combining technical depth with a perfect surface design.