MASSIMO VIGNELLI
If you can design one thing, you can design everything.
You can design everything.
Massimo Vignelli
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About Grids Typeface Work 03
Massimo Vignelli 1.10.1931 - 5.27.2014 Massimo Vignelli was born in Milan in 1931. He studied in Milan and Venice at the Brera Academy of Art in Milan and the School of Architecture of the University of Venice. Massimo came to the United States on the Towle Silversmiths Fellowship for product design in 1957. In 1960, He and his wife, Lella Vignelli, established the Massimo and Lella Vignelli Office of Design and Architecture.
Massimo Vignelli awards:
1964, Gran Premio Triennale di Milano. 1964, 1998 Compasso d’Oro, from (ADI), Italian Association for Industrial Design. 1973, Industrial Arts Medal of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). 1982, New York Art Directors Club Hall of Fame. 1983, AlGA Gold Medal. 1985, the first Presidential Design Award, presented by President Ronald Reagan, for the National Park Service Publications Program. 1988, the Interior Design Hall of Fame. 1991, the National Arts Club Gold Medal for Design. 1992, the Interior Product Designers Fellowship of Excellence. 1993, New York State Governor’s Award for Excellence 1995, the Brooklyn Museum Design Award for Lifetime Achievement. 1996, Honorary Royal Designer for Industry Award, Royal Society of Arts, London. 2003, the National Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Museum of Design at Cooper-Hewitt, New York. 2004, the Visionary Award from the Museum of Art and Design, New York. 2005, Architecture Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, NY. 1994, Honorary Doctorate in Architecture from the University of Venice, Italy and Honorary Doctorates in Fine Arts from: 1982, Parsons School of Design, New York 1987, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York 1988, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island 1994, Corcoran School of Art, Washington D.C. 2000, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, California 2002, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York 1
1 awards list found at http://vignelli.com/awards/massimo.html
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Grids
All the work Massimo Vignelli did was based on grids. He said it was impossible to design without it. The grid, for Massimo, became a tool for quick solution to all design problems. This system helps designers achieve syntactical consistency in graphic design. Grids also train the mind to think in terms of modules. You must also remember to not get trapped with to the grid. While being faithful to the grid you need to know when to stay in and stay out.
Developed a grid with alternative arrangements for Alcoa magazine. 1960s.
Alcoa
Massimo designed grid for Alcoa magazine advertising page (Saul Bass created logo design and prepared corporate identity manual).
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Typeface
SS
Massimo’s approach to typeface is structure. With structure we don’t need that much. Massimo believed type did not need to be expressive. There are many typefaces, but not all typefaces are good. Massimo also believes it’s never good to use too many fonts at once; he usually will stick to the “no more than three” rule. There are two basic font families: Sans-serif and Serif.
Sans-serif font
Serif font
Basic Serif Fonts: Garamond Bodoni Times New Roman
Basic Sans-serif Fonts: Akzidenz Grotesk Helvetica Univers
Helvetica
One of Massimo Vignelli’s biggest impacts in design was his use of Helvetica. Massimo helped bring Helvetica to the United States. Helvetica was created because we had a desire for better legibility. Helvetica is modern, clear, and good for everything.
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz
“You can say, “I love you,” in Helvetica. And you can say it with Helvetica Extra Light if you want to be really fancy. Or you can say it with the Extra Bold if it’s really intensive and passionate, you know, and it might work.”
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz
Massimo Vignelli
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz
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Work
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Corporate Identity
The corporate identity is important for finding the company’s image and position in the marketplace. Massmimo Vignelli has a common theme: Timelessness. Massimo’s work includes American Airlines, National Parks Service, Ducati, Motor, Great NorthEastern Railway, Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Benetton, Knoll International, Kroin, Cosmit, Abdi, BK Italia, CorpGroup, Salerno, Woolworths, Abdica, and many more.
American Airlines What is most important to take away from Massimo’s American Airlines is his dedication to timelessness. Massimo used Helvetica font in American Airlines and was also one of the first company names to be two words, written as one, separated by color. The corporate identity of American Airlines has lasted over 40 years, longer than any other airline industry.
“How can they improve? They have the best already. American Airlines in Helvetica.” Massimo Vignelli
Knoll International Designed and printed graphic material for Knoll from 19661980.
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Packaging
Heller
Packaging design for Heller was done on white boxes with orange font. It was consciously decided that the font would stay the same size, regardless of it’s layout. The goal was to show “good design at affordable prices,” which is what the company stands for.
IBM
Galeria
Fassati
Perugina
Rossetti
Brookstone
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New York Subway Massimo Vignelli redesigned the New York City Subway with his Subway map design. It created an easier way of thinking and understanding what was happening. His Subway map made in 1972 was just updated. What was once 4, 5, 6, is now one color and the map is now more efficient than ever.
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Washington Metro Transportation
Ferrovie Dello Stato Station Signs
Seaco Sea Containers 19
Hauserman Showroom
Hauserman Showroom was designed in 1982 in Los Angeles. The Vignellis designed the room to have moveable walls and did collaborative work with artist Dan Flavin who created different light installations for each wall.
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Vignelli Associates
In 1985 Vignelli Associates moved to this new location with views of the midtown skyline in New York.
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St. Peter’s Church St Peter’s Church was designed to be flexible so it can serve as a concert hall, theater and conference hall. Massimo and his wife Lella designed the pews to be moveable and convert to add additional seats. Massimo’s work he did for Saint Peter’s Church was his lifetime favorite. This is also where he planned to be buried. The church type is set up in Optima, so contrary to popular belief; Massimo’s tomb is in Optima and not Helvetica.
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Architectural Graphics Minneapolis Museum
International Design Center, New York
New York Landmarks
Dallas Museum of Art Architectural
WTC New York 27
Poster Design Bicentennial Poster U.S.A. 1976
Fort Worth Art Muesum Graphic Program 1976
Knoll International 1966
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Few Basic Typefaces Exhibition & Poster New York 1991
Massimo Vignelli acknowledge that once people had the computer they recklessly started using and distorting typefaces. Massimo decided to have an exhibition that only used four basic typefaces: Garamond, Bodoni, Century Expanded and Helvetica. This exhibition shows how much basic fonts can do for us and again reiterates that theme of timelessness that Massimo uses in his work.
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If you do it right, it will last
forever.
Massimo Vignelli
Sources
Vignelli, Massimo. Grids: Their meaning and use for federal designers. Washington D.C.: National Endowment for the Arts, 1976. Print. Vignelli Associates. 2015. Web. 10 March 2015. <http://vignelli.com> Hustwit, Gary, dir. Helvetica. Gary Hustwit, Swiss Dots, Veer production, September 2007. Film. Kathy Brew, Roberto Guerra, dir. Design Is One: The Vignellis. Roberto Guerra cinematography, October 2013. Film.
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