iF Design

In 1962 the acronym iF became the label for the special show "Die gute Industrieform". Prof. Arnold Bode had created the new, succinct logo and he additionally developed the new flexible exhibition system with which the selected products could be presented in both a restrained but also atmospheric way. In the same year, the exhibition relocated to Messehaus 19.

For iF, the 1960s were the years of professionalism. There was hardly any other institution during those years that worked so consistently at supporting functional design, focused on the essentials. Ornamentation was seen as a true crime - at least as far as the strict iF jurors were concerned. The jury consisted of a constantly changing group of designers, artists and industrialists as well as "experts" with special skills.

Until the mid-1960s, iF was the business of the trade fair company: the latter took over the costs for the exhibition and was also involved in its organization. Increasingly, this turned into a financial burden for the company. Additionally, the self-confidence of iF and of the design community had grown, and thus the time was ripe for a new structure and for conceptual change. Initially, this resulted in a suspension of the exhibition in 1965, and the break was used to set up the "Gute Industrieform e.V." association, which was given non-profit status two years later.

The architect Prof. Ernst Zietschmann, director of the Werkkunstschule Hannover and the retired Hanoverian city executive Karl Wiechert took over the chairmanship of the new association. Participation in the competition was still restricted to exhibitors at the Hannover Messe, who had to pay a participation fee from then onwards. Although this triggered some criticism, the restructuring was beneficial for the overall project.

In 1966, visitors at the iF exhibition were counted for the first time and the number came to a very respectable 84,880. Due to budget shortages there was no catalogue published that year. However, in 1967, the new series of square-shaped, bright-orange catalogues was launched, which were often used as a guide to good design. The young association additionally staged thematic exhibitions such as the 1966 "Hand und Geraet" (Hand and Machine) or the 1969 exhibition with the striking title "Baut sich ein Computer selbst?" (Can a Computer Build Itself?).