Swiss Style
Rawia Khansaheb
The Swiss Style
The Swiss style of design emerged in Switzerland following the second world war. Swiss Style was a graphic design movement that promoted legibility, objectivity, and clean, simple design. Key elements of the style included sans-serif typefaces, asymmetrical layouts, and a grid system. Some of the leading figures in the movements are designers such as Armin Hofmann and Josef Muller Brockmann. The roots of the Swiss Style go back to 1930s
Armin Hofmann
Josef M端ler Brockmann
Herbert Matter
Paul Rand
KEYWORDS
grid geometric form
simple objective legible
ragged - left sans - serif type photographic
asymmetrical layout legibility
Ar min Hof mann
Legendary Swiss graphic designer and educator, Armin Hofmann is recognized for his immeasurable influence on generations of designers, teaching the power and elegance of simplicity and clarity through a timeless aesthetic, always informed by context. Armin Hofmann was an aesthetically demanding designer. He made his students first do compositional exercises with lines and discs. He was an aesthetically demanding designer. He made his students first do compositional exercises with lines and discs. He believes that geometric elements familiarizes students with written characters.
“I believe that one is more likely to develop a better perception of color by looking at the subtle harmonies of black-and-white images than by looking at the multi-and-overcolored illusions color photography often creates�
“There should be no separation between spontaneous work with an emotional tone and work directed by the intellect"
Graphic Designer Illustrator Stage designer Exhibition designer Teacher Writer Josef M端ller Brockmann came to prominence in the 1950s and has become best known as a pioneer of the swiss style. His design sense of the 1950s aimed to create posters that communicated with the masses. Post constructivist approach to design that relied heavily on strong text image relationship and that was regulated by the use of the grid a system used by graphic designers.
"Reduction of content can make all the difference in the outcome of a design."
"Order was always wishful thinking for me"
"The grid system is an aid, not a guarantee."
HERBERT MATTER
Excelled at design, and photography. In 1936 Herbert Matter emigrated to the United States taking with him first hand knowledge of the avant garde movements of Europe. He shared his knowledge of primary colors, sans-serif type, extensive use of the white of the page and an interest of photography. As a young man he worked for the famous poster designer A M Cassandre. Some of his earliest commissions was for the Swiss National Tourist Office.
"...Herbet for example. His work of '32 could have been done in '72 or even '82. It has timeless unerring quality one recognizes instinctively" -Paul Rand
Paul Rand was one of the foremost American graphic designers of the 20th century and helped establish the so-called Swiss Style of design in the United States. He was one of the originators of the Swiss Style of graphic design. From 1956 to 1969, and beginning again in 1974, Rand taught design at Yale University in New Haven When viewing a Rand ad, a viewer is challenged to think, interact, and interpret it. Using clever, fun, unconventional and risky approaches to the use of shapes, space, and contrast, Rand created a unique user experience.
“Ideas are the lifeblood of any form of meaningful communication”
Ideas
are a designer’s
"Everything posses form of some kind, good or bad, pleasing or not"