Herbert H. Schultes

Herbert H. Schultes (1938–2020) was a leading German designer of the postwar period, best known for having headed the design department of the multinational company Siemens for several years. Born in Freiburg, he completed his university studies in Munich before joining Siemens in 1961, where he worked until 1967 as assistant to the head of design, Edwin A. Schricker. In 1967 he partnered with Norbert Schlagheck to found the studio Schlagheck Schultes Design, of which he remained a partner for several decades, until 1991. The studio’s activity focused primarily on the design of technological products such as video cameras, alarm clocks, projectors, and cameras, developed for brands including Agfa, Marker, and Braun. His sober, pragmatic design language is considered emblematic of the functionalist tradition of postwar German design. In 1985 Schultes returned to Siemens as head of design, and in 1997 he led the spin-off of his department which—merged with Siemens’ trade fair and exhibition division—resulted in the creation of Designfairs. For several years, Designfairs was one of the leading companies in German electronic design, specializing in mobile phones and personal computer components. Alongside this work, Schultes pursued an intense academic career and held public roles within various institutions dedicated to the promotion of design. Particularly significant was his involvement in organizing the design conference held in Aspen in 1996 entitled Gestaltung: Visions of German Design, regarded at the time as the most comprehensive survey ever devoted to the history of German design. After leaving Designfairs in 2000, Schultes also turned his attention to furniture design, collaborating with brands such as ClassiCon (already a client during the Designfairs years), Bulthaup—together with which he won a prestigious Elle Decor International Design Award in 2005 for the B35 kitchen—Lensvelt, and others.