BasicPhone
By Cliff Kuang

Many electronics designers envision the perfect consumer: maybe early 30s, fond of black wire-rim eyeglasses with sharp angles, and eager to devour all the newest gadgets. Whether consciously or not, young audiences naturally drift to innovative design. But in he richest countries –Europe, especially- populations are graying quickly, and more an more products like the BasicPhone are being designed with the elderly in mind.

The BasicPhone is a stripped-down GSM unit designed simply for talking. It’s bigger than most phones, with an oversized display and buttons, and a means of turning the volume up high enough for the hard of hearing. The Dutch firm NPK (with Chess, it’s technology partner) designed the phone to comfort users by referencing the familiar: a ubiquitous telephone handset from the 70’s.

Simply stuff, but the product was novel enough that when Telephon Totaal first began marketing it, demand was overwhelming. That was just as NPK hoped – except that not just the elderly are clamouring for the Basic Phone. The product also appeals to people who are simply exhausted by new technology. Now that companies like Philips and Vodafone are beginning to encroach on the simple-tech market, Jos Oberdorf, NPK’s partner, has shifted gears and is developing ways to make caring for the elderly easier.

npk design’s 30th anniversary
Party
Friday September 19th npk design celebrated her 30th anniversary in the main office in Leiden.
All relations, former colleagues, friends and family were shown around in the various design studios. Afterwards all guests, seated at long tables, enjoyed an Italian dinner on our inner court.

published in European Business Design 1
Hamax PLUS System
‘Key to the success of a design project are a shared enthusiasm and a ‘dream’ of what you want to achieve with the project.’

published in Sketching - drawing techniques for product designers
Two npk projects descriped in Sketching
Due to the complex curvature transitions, cross sections are added to clarify the intended shape and keep it symmetrical.

published in Yearbook Architecture in the Netherlands 2005/06
IJ-tramway, Rietlanden tramstop
The masts and shelters (some with heating), designed by npk designers, are the same all along the route.

published in Yearbook Architecture in the Netherlands 2005/06
House
The house consists of two main volumes, roof and base. Inflected, laminated trusses rise up from the basement.

published in Identity Matters 11-2005
BasicPhone
The Dutch firm NPK (with Chess, it ’s technology partner) designed the phone to comfort users by referencing the familiar: a ubiquitous telephone handset from the 70’s.

published in Form 10-2005
Basicphone
Basicphone is a mobile telephone that people also have no difficulties using. It was developed by npk design with the Haarlem company Chess

published in Made in Holland 2005
n|p|k twin postbox
By 2007, the twin postbox will be a fixture up and down the Netherlands. The design has won an IF Design Award, was short listed for the Dutch Design Awards, and was nominated for the Design Prize of the Federal Republic of Germany.

The Foreign Affairs of Dutch Design
Traveling exhibition goes to Amsterdam
From July 14 to August 21 the exhibition will be on display at the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam. Recent work of npk design is demonstrated.…

Red Dot Award
BeerTender wins red dot award
Out of more than 1800 participants of 36 countries an international jury of designers, architects and artists has selected BeerTender for a red dot award.…