Of all the tributes to Butzi Porsche that have floated across the web in the weeks since his passing, I believe that today’s thoughtfully written article at Core 77 would be the one he’d most appreciate.
I think it fitting that it would take a design magazine to strip away some of the artifice of the 911’s legend and focus more on Butzi as a designer. It won’t surprise you that I buy in to author Raymond Jepson’s assertion that Butzi deserves a place alongside architect Ludwig Mies van de Rohe, legendary graphic designer Paul Rand, and Braun’s product designer Dieter Rams as the greats of twentieth century design. Their analysis of Dieter Ram’s recent resurgence of appreciation in the wake of Apple’s frequent homages to his aesthetic is spot on and could well provide a template for Butzi’s wider recognition in the future. It might not be until decades from now, with the benefit of a bit of history between Butzi’s death and ultimate legacy that we’ll be able to more holistically appreciate the impact Butzi had on the world of automotive and product design.
I recommend you click over and read the entire article. It’s a refreshing approach on Ferdinand Porsche’s work with a focus on his work, not on the company his family built.