Rido Busse obituary

We mourn the loss of Professor Rido Busse, the tireless fighter against plagiarism who, according to reports from his office, fell asleep peacefully on February 12, 2021, at the age of 86.

Not only the black garden gnome, who unmistakably deserves a golden nose, reminds of the successful product designer. The initiative and the negative price "Plagiarius" remain inextricably linked with Rido Busse. He, who went against the grain as early as 1977 when rights to drafts and good design were disregarded without shame, has become a memorial with the Museum Plagiarius in Solingen and the negative award of the same name.

Rido Busse was one of the first to graduate from the Hochschule für Gestaltung HfG Ulm, who dared to take the step into self-employment in 1959 with his own office. Born on August 14, 1934, the trained silversmith and metal sculptor was a man of forms. The good, the best forms. He tinkered until perfection took over - and at best made using things a pleasure. Who doesn't know the swing head of the "Dr. Best" toothbrush or the "Krups" mixing bowl that Busse said he wouldn't make any better today?

His collaboration with Stihl, whose chainsaws and garden tools he breathed new life into, has lasted for more than half a century. The field of medical technology also played an increasingly important role in its design. Busse was never driven by the eternity of things. He was able to adapt quickly and flexibly to new situations, even when his own health thwarted his plans and restricted his mobility, his ingenuity never gave up.

With Rido Busse, the design world is losing a pioneer and wonderfully communicative designer. His work and work lives on in his design office Busse Design+Engineering, his "child", as he once called it. Many of his designs and those of the Busse team have received an iF DESIGN AWARD over the decades.

Our thoughts are with his family and friends. R.I.P.

(published in February 2021)