German hardware manufacturer Franz Schneider Brakel (FSB) has reintroduced the FSB 1138 door handle, a design created by legendary industrial designer Dieter Rams in 1986. The updated edition replaces the original plastic components with an all-aluminium construction, enhancing durability while preserving the minimalist form that has made the handle a benchmark of industrial design for nearly four decades.
FSB revives a Dieter Rams industrial design classic
Dieter Rams originally designed the FSB 1138 during a 1986 workshop at FSB’s headquarters in East Westphalia. Led by designer Otl Aicher, the workshop invited leading architects and designers, including Mario Botta, Peter Eisenman, Hans Hollein, Arata Isozaki and Alessandro Mendini, to rethink the door handle as a fundamental point of interaction between people and architecture.
Rams responded with a design defined by a circular rose, a distinctive index-finger recess and a softly rounded lever. Consequently, the handle embodied his celebrated “less but better” philosophy, which also shaped his influential work at Braun and his furniture designs for Vitsœ.
Now 94, Rams believes the design continues to resonate because of its clarity and purpose.
“Such products are rare, but they serve as an essential source of inspiration and encouragement for the way we shape our environment,” he explained. “They become a benchmark for the future.”
Aluminium construction improves longevity while preserving the original design
The original RGS (Rams Grau Schwarz) version combined aluminium with thermoplastic. Although FSB manufactured the aluminium components in Brakel, the company sourced the plastic element externally. However, the thermoplastic failed to meet long-term durability expectations, leading FSB to discontinue the product in 2005.
The relaunched FSB 1138 now features an all-metal aluminium construction that will develop a natural patina through years of use. As a result, the redesign improves longevity without altering the handle’s defining visual identity.
According to FSB, the updated model faithfully retains the design principles that originally sought to “create a simple yet highly visible statement amid the general chaos of formal diversity”.
Dr Klaus Klemp, author of Dieter Rams: The Complete Works, highlighted the design’s enduring functionality.
“The circle communicates the turning movement, while the recess and the softly curved handle naturally indicate the position of the hand, ensuring a secure, comfortable and effortless grip,” he explained.
“Its function is immediately understandable. It is a perfect example of beauty emerging from function.”
Rams remained involved throughout the redevelopment process and approved every refinement introduced to the new edition.
Enduring influence on industrial design
The 1986 workshop marked the beginning of FSB’s collaborations with internationally recognised architects and designers. Since then, figures including John Pawson, David Chipperfield, Heike Falkenberg and Foster + Partners have contributed products to the company’s catalogue.
Meanwhile, Rams’ influence continues to shape contemporary industrial design decades after his retirement from Braun in 1997. His work has inspired designers, including Jasper Morrison and former Apple Chief Design Officer Jony Ive, while his principles of functional simplicity remain central to discussions around sustainable product design.
By updating the FSB 1138 with an all-metal construction, FSB demonstrates how thoughtful re-engineering can extend the lifespan of an iconic industrial design while remaining faithful to Dieter Rams’ original vision.