Innovation Through Design

Turning unique ideas into innovative applications

“Between two products equal in price, function and quality, the one with the most attractive exterior will win.” — Raymond Loewy, Father of Industrial Design

Since the birth of the lift industry, almost everything has been about materials, mechanisms and technical innovations — and KLEEMANN has focused on high quality for all of these technical aspects from day one. For quite some time, design was on the sidelines, waiting patiently for its star to shine. That time has come. At KLEEMANN, an ongoing process has made thinking in terms of design a key element of the company’s DNA.

A Design Icon at the Helm

KLEEMANN’s collaboration with Andreas Zapatinas, a world-famous industrial and car designer known for his work with companies such as BMW, Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Subaru, began approximately 15 years ago. He is the mind behind the KLEEMANN Design Series and basically introduced the curve concept for the lift’s interior. But above all, he cultivated and strengthened an essential value for the company’s core philosophy: design culture.

Since then, the company’s goal has not been only to manufacture high-quality lifts, but to create, through design, a unique experience for every passenger. Part of this goal is the KLEEMANN Design service package.

Staying in Touch With Today’s Vibes 

Inspiration is a key factor when designing a new product. It comes either from a eureka moment, studying thoroughly new materials and their implementations, or simply by observing real people, buildings, images and experiences. Three years ago, the latter gave our design team the idea for TRENDS, a series of lift cabin aesthetics that would incorporate current trends and styles with which people can connect. The result was the creation of three unique lift designs: the Urban, the Pop and the Hipster.

Each series has its own characteristics derived from the elements that define each respective trend. The Urban series has clean lines and combinations and uses mainly textures of urban materials such as concrete, wood and glass. The Pop series draws inspiration from pop culture and pop art, but also modern and essential components of today’s society, such as social media and emojis. Finally, colorful palettes and pairings of classic and contemporary materials define the Hipster series.  

TRENDS is an ongoing project by definition. New lines will soon be presented. 

Special Projects Call for Specialists 

A significant part of the KLEEMANN design team’s work is customized proposals for special projects. It’s collaborative work, involving, of course, the project owner or the architectural team; after all, they carry the building’s vision — which is essential to understand in order to design a lift that suits the project. Part of this process can be converting an idea of the project’s architects into an actual product. As for the specially designed solutions, they are meant for three different categories of projects: 

• Designing lifts with specific technical specifications. The project presents unique and specific technical requirements, and the customer describes the lift in detail. Based on this, we study and develop the optimal solution on a technical and aesthetic level.

• Designing lifts for projects under development where the specifications are not yet defined. In such cases, we usually communicate with the building owners and the architects, supporting them with any aesthetic concerns they might have, and providing solutions after we have secured the optimal engineering solution.

• Designing lifts together with the project’s architects. In these cases, feedback comes directly from the project’s architectural team, and we collaboratively create the perfect solution for the project in question according to the design path they have set out for themselves. In these cases, the KLEEMANN design team acts as a guide and mentor. On many occasions, a joint study of the project takes place in person, usually in the building itself or the architectural team’s offices. This way, our involvement is part of a substantial and productive process.

The KLEEMANN design service package is a three-part process: 

1. Studying the solution according to the project’s technical and aesthetic needs
2. Architectural collaboration, guidance and support in designing the cabins, doors, operating panels and tiling that will be used
3. Creation of customized proposals in the form of 3D photorealistic renderings  

By doing this, KLEEMANN ensures the customer:

• Becomes part of a creative communication process with all the participants and decision makers in the project (consultants, project managers and especially the architects). 
• Explores new design ideas, products or materials that can upgrade the project’s overall performance and quality standards. 
• Has a precise representation of the project before even ordering it, thanks to high-quality 3D photorealistic renderings and the study that has been carried out with the involved departments of the company.

Thanks to inspiring leadership and a lot of talent, KLEEMANN’s team of design experts has been turning ideas into innovative applications. 

Also read: KLEEMANN Home Solutions