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#25 BMW Group DesignworksUSA

Dan Macsai

July 12, 2012

There's no reason your printer should be less elegant than a BMW Z4 Roadster. That's the thinking behind BMW Group DesignworksUSA. "When you look at most cars, you get the feeling that there's one global manufacturer," says president Laurenz Schaffer. "Same thing with many products. Our philosophy is to create something new and different." Partnering with the likes of Starbucks and HP, the design-consulting subsidiary is applying its design excellence and attitude to everything from coffeemakers to Nokia phones.

1. Facebook
2. Amazon
3. Apple
4. Google
5. Huawei
6. First Solar
7. PG&E
8. Novartis
9. Walmart
10. HP

11. Hulu
12. Netflix
13. Nike
14. Intel
15. Spotify
16. BYD
17. Cisco Systems
18. IBM
19. GE
20. Disney

31. HTC
32. Diller Scofidio + Renfro
33. Firstborn
34. Sportvision
35. Ideo
36. Samsung
37. Glam Media
38. Ngmoco
39. VNL
40. Aldi Süd

1) HP Officejet All-in-One 8500

Schaffer's team enlarged "interaction areas," such as the fax feed on the top and printer pickup on the bottom, to make the machine appear more inviting without straying too far from HP's traditional design vocabulary.

2) Saeco Xsmall

Xsmall's intuitive one-button interface means "users don't have to read the manual," Schaffer says. Unlike most coffeemakers, the machine's glossy red-and-white exterior looks good from any angle -- even the back.

Slideshow

Seven Design Feats From BMW Group DesignworksUSA

3) Whitestar Signature

This surgical platform uses ultrasound to remove cataracts. By loading it with a simple touch screen and stacking its components like a totem pole, DesignworksUSA helped Advanced Medical Optics save time and space in the operating room.

4) Thermaltake Level 10 Gaming Tower

By separating electrical components based on how hot they get during use -- and giving each its own cooling system -- DesignworksUSA created a computer tower that's as efficient as it is eye-catching.