Bang & Olufsen Catalogue [1983]

Jacob Jensen

Imagery: Bang & Olufsen

Jensen’s work for Bang & Olufsen not only generated the very language that the design house still utilises today, but remains remarkably important in the broader design community. Produced at a time when consumer electronics failed to be effectively integrated with design (exceptions can be found in the form of the Brionvega and Braun catalogues), Jensen’s tenure at the company from 1965-91 demonstrated the true depth of his vision, famously remarking: ‘constructing a fountain pen, writing a poem, producing a play or designing a locomotive, all demand the same components, the same ingredients: perspective, creativity, new ideas, understanding and first and foremost, the ability to rework, almost infinitely, over and over’ and evoking this through the creation of whole product lines that shared a consistency of line, colour and formal language. The catalogue of 1983 is a wonderful example of this repertoire: Beovox speakers, Beocord cassette decks and U70 headphones are amongst the mix of a product body that utilises natural teak, aluminium accents, concealed displays and thin, rectilinear profiles that ushered in a new wave of wonderfully aesthetic appliances.

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