#dieter rams

First off, my main site over at noahlandow.com is where you can find more general information about me, my book (Tame the Tech Beast), in-person event series (Tête-à-Tech), longer form essays, podcast appearances, and work with Macktez, UnionDocs, and the Victorian Web. (I also post photos and brief comments semi-regularly at noah.tumblr.com.)

This Tumblr began as a collection of lived experience in trying to find accessories for the Vitsoe 606 shelving system, such as what bins fit well on certain size shelves and does someone already make a plexiglass display case that fits them perfectly? Or does anyone manufacture (and do they sell) LED strips slim enough to fit inside the front lip? (Spoiler: No but if that is something that interests you, reach out to me because I wrote a long essay on it on my main site; also I am still considering having assembled ones manufactured.)

This modular shelving system has been around for a really long time and that’s one of the things I especially appreciate about it. I have a lot of respect for Niels Vitsœ's leadership and the company stands as an exemplar of ethically, thoughtfully manufactured objects that are interchangeable, modular, flexible, but were so well considered from the beginning that they persist largely unchanged since 1960.

The 606 system has been around so long and commands such a vigorous admiration from so many discerning people that years ago when I started searching for tips, I expected to find numerous websites and directories with recommendations for things like magnets that are just the right color and bins that fit perfect perfectly on shelves. (I did find a single great tips and tricks page in a personal site, but it is no longer up; I’m in contact with the friendly and well informed author and perhaps we’ll get him to re-post it on his site or author one here at some point.)

There is also a enthusiastic and lovely community on Reddit, and if you’re looking for suggestions or advice, that’s a great place to start. (After talking to your official Vitsoe planner, though; the in-house sales team is friendly and responsive, and I can’t recommend reaching out to them enough.) And if you’re looking for a feel good compliment about your setup post a picture of your install there. (Though take a moment to tidy your cables first to avoid a biting critique.)

I was also pleasantly surprised many years ago to find that there is (what I believe to be) an official Vitsoe Tumblr (although it hasn’t had any new posts in the last decade) with some varied and very enjoyable archived documents, and photographs, in three languages.

All of which is to say, I created this in order to explore and find out if there are other people out there in the world who share my particular appreciation for the history, elegance, flexibility, and adaptability of the Vitsoe 606 Shelving System by Dieter Rams — If you are one of those people, I encourage you to reach out and say hello here, via email, or by whatever medium you prefer. (Also, if you find a typo, please let me know; I’m writing most of these posts on my phone in between things and aiming to prevent perfection from being the enemy of done.)