International Design or the Swiss Design Style

A systematic approach to graphic design in the 1930s-1950s. This style has had a profound influence on graphic design and the modernist movement, this design explores simplicity, clarity, readability and objectivity.

Swiss style

“Swiss Design, also known as the International Typographic Style or Swiss Style, is a type of graphic design characterized by minimalism, a block layout, and sans serif typefaces.”- Master Class

International style

“international style was first used in 1932 to describe architects associated with the modern movement whose designs shared similar visual qualities – being mostly rectilinear, undecorated, asymmetrical and white.” - Tate

Typefaces

Akzidenz-Grotesk - released by the Berthold type foundry in 1986 and one of the first of its kind. it is one of the most widely sold and used typefaces and has got new names which include ‘standard’.

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Univers - created by Adrian Frutiger in 1954 by using elements of Akzidenz-Grotesk, this was one of the first typefaces with a font family of various sizes and weights.

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Helvetica - created by Max Miedinger and Eduard Hoffmann in 1957 which is a Sanserif typeface. it has been released with many weights widths and sizes with strokes on the horizontal and vertical lines it also has an unusually tight spacing for Swiss design creating a solid appearance.

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Armin Hofmann

Swiss graphic designer and one of the leading masters in Swiss design. Hofmann used grid systems in his designs and emphasised the harmony in point line and plane, and the use of two-dimensional compositions. He used the highlight contrast to create tension between the forms. He used the colour black and white throughout his designs especially the photography producing abstract instead of factual representation. Hoffmann is a master of letterpress printing and photo offset lithography. Lithography is a planographic printmaking process with the use of the design drawn onto a stone or a metal plate and is transferred by a chemical reaction. Letterpress printing is relief printing which produces many copies of an inked design.

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Design profile- Pentagram - pentagram.com

Wonka

Screen Recording 2023-12-28 at 22.53.21.mov

Pentagram designed the logo and typeface for Wonka. this typeface captures the magic and fantasy of the movie and inspires imagination by researching past typography and graphics of shops and emporiums, chocolate and sweets labelling.

Screen Recording 2023-12-28 at 22.36.59.mov