IXD102:Week 7-International Typographic Style
The international typographic style which can also be known as Swiss style, emerged in Russia, Germany and the Netherlands as a graphic design style in the 1920’s which was developed further by a range of designers in Switzerland during the 1950’s. After researching further I seen how the design style emphasises cleanness, readability, and objectivity. Hallmarks of the style are asymmetric layouts, use of a grid, sans-serif typefaces like Akzidenz Grotesk, and flush left, ragged right text. Some of its key designers include Armin Hoffmann, Josef-Müller Brockmann and Emil Rudder.
Armin Hofmann was a Swiss graphic designer who’s work is recognized for its reliance on the fundamental elements of graphic form – point, line, and shape – while subtly conveying simplicity, complexity, representation, and abstraction.
Müller-Brockmann is recognized for his simple designs and his clean use of typography, shapes and colors which inspire many graphic designers in the 21st century. His work is influenced by Bauhaus and constructivism. Typography and geometry are predominant. His compositions are based on very rigid grids which will be his trademark. An economical and rational style.
Emil Ruder was a typographer and graphic designer who, born in Switzerland in 1914, helped Armin Hofmann form the Basel School of Design and establish the style of design known as Swiss Design. He taught that, above all, typography’s purpose was to communicate ideas through writing.
Dutch Design:
Wim Crouwel:
Wim Crouwel is a celebrated twentieth century Dutch graphic designer and typographer. He designed some of the iconic typefaces such as New Alphabet and Gridnik. Besides, his contributions are not limited to designing but also include educational field. He taught at several renowned universities and institutes. In 1963 he co-founded Total Design, the first multi-disciplinary design firm in The Netherlands. Other founding members were Friso Kramer and Benno Wissing, soon joined by Ben Bos. It soon became one of the best design offices worldwide, serving prestigious clients such as De Bijenkorf, the Dutch Post Office (PTT), Peter Stuyvesant, Randstand, the Schiphol Airport, and the Dutch Pavilion for the 1970 Osaka World Fair.
I like his use of grid work and how it structured his work while also combining it with his passion for type. Here are some of my favourite pieces:
Total Design:
Total Design was a dutch design agency founded in 1963 for graphic design, brand names and the development of house styles. They introduced functionalism in graphic design in the Netherlands and played a great role in the rise of Dutch Design. The 1960s were the most successful period for Total Design: its staff size increased enormously and the agency managed to hold on to various clients for a long time.
In the 1970s, Total Design underwent great changes. The agency received mainly graphic commissions and created many house styles. The agency’s intricate and obscure management structure was replaced by semi-independent design teams. As a result, a new generation of designers, trained by the agency itself, got a chance to prove themselves.
The Helvetica Movie:
The content consists of a history of the typeface interspersed with candid interviews with leading graphic and type designers. The film aims to show Helvetica’s beauty and ubiquity, and illuminate the personalities that are behind typefaces. It also explores the rift between modernists and postmodernists with the latter expressing and explaining their criticisms of the famous typeface.
The movie allowed me to show how much Helvetica is around us in our day to day life, from signs to posters and flyers, advertisements, company branding and more. I seen how it’s clean, bold, and modern look makes it a popular font still today as it has become an icon of design due to its use of shape and contrast between different weights.