Universal design builds aesthetic bridge between products

At dormakaba, the total provider of innovative technologies and access solutions for better and safer buildings, spaces and grounds, they don't just set high standards for top quality. In terms of design, the company's extensive and diverse product portfolio also stands at a lonely height.

And all thanks to XEA, the well-thought-out design concept that unites basic shapes, colors, surfaces and functions in one uniform appearance and builds an aesthetic bridge between the dormakaba products.

Door closer TS 98 XEA.

The XEA design launched several years ago is a creation of Bernhard Heitz, design manager within dormakaba. "The task formulated to him at the time to develop an overall design concept was clear," says Chretien Velthuizen, responsible for marketing communications within dormakaba. "The design had to take people and companies to a new dimension in terms of product unity." Judging from the various awards the design concept has already won, Heitz has more than succeeded. The spiritual father himself described the design, which stands for Ten (X) Elements of Aesthetics in full, as follows: "The new design is a fusion of the aesthetic styles of the Bauhaus philosophy with their interplay of craft and fine arts or the interplay of architecture and design. The result is a clear product language and subtle autonomy, compatible in an object into one harmonious whole'.

Points of interest

With the XEA design, dormakaba aims to achieve a universal design of its products. In doing so, ten points of interest are invariably taken into account (see box next page).

"By observing these ten rules, we not only arrive at products that excel in quality," Velthuizen said. "Thanks to a refined and uniform design, they are also perfectly compatible with each other."

The results are certainly worth noting. Following the introduction of the TS 98 in 2016, the door closer that was the first to be designed based on the principles devised by Heitz, dormakaba has presented more highlights with an XEA face in recent years. These included card readers, glass fittings and door technology such as door closers, floor springs and locks. "The most current addition to our product range is the sensor locks line Argus, which was developed and implemented entirely according to XEA guidelines, and replaces the current range," Velthuizen concludes.    

XEA: aesthetics in ten elements

1. Identifiable branded products: each XEA product is identifiable as a dormakaba product by its logo and shape, among other things.

2. Intuitive symbols: all symbols are reduced to their main elements and easy to recognize and understand.

3. Standard surfaces: XEA uses four easily combinable standard colors for its products.

4. Clear form language: the XEA form language is based on monolithic structures defined by flat, two-dimensional surfaces.

5. Intuitive user interfaces: all user interfaces follow a recognizable and uniform design.

6. Contrasting surfaces: the XEA products stand out for the contrast between light and dark and between matte and glossy surfaces.

7. Enclosure: many products come with an encompassing housing that provides additional protection.

8. Multi-layered compositions: the XEA products stand out for their visible, multi-layered construction.

9. LED indicator: the XEA products have LED light strips that signal access, guide persons or indicate status.

10. Individual design: specially formulated materials and colors offer a wide spectrum of solutions that blend into the architecture.