الخميس, مايو 4th 2023
Swiss graphic design is known for its focus on function, minimalism and clarity – a perfect mirror for the no-nonsense and efficient Swiss culture.
Emerging in the 1950s at the graphic design schools in Zurich (Kunstgewerbeschule, now ZHdK) and Basel (Schule für Gestaltung Basel), the new Swiss style was rooted in the work of Russian Constructivism, De Stijl and Bauhaus.
Contrary to the opulent beauty of the “art for art’s sake” approach of France’s Art Nouveau and other graphic design movements of the first half of the twentieth century, the Swiss style, also referred to as the International Typographic Style, focused on systematic design with an emphasis on typography and simple, often asymmetric, compositions, shifting the attention from the appearance to the information being conveyed.
Key figures of the Swiss design group were Josef Müller-Brockmann, who established the grid layout system for communicating information visually, and Armin Hofmann, known for simplifying compositions using a minimalistic approach while integrating photography with a reduced color palette in this work.
Hofmann and Müller-Brockmann’s legacy shaped a design approach that uses graphic principles and fundamental design elements, such as the dot, line and shape, to create visual hierarchies that communicate and structure information, both visually and textually. In other words, they aimed to create a sense of objectivity and neutrality, free from historical, geographical and social contexts.
Helvetica – one of the most used fonts worldwide – was an essential component of the Swiss Style. Originally titled Neue Haas Grotesk, the sans-serif font was designed by Max Miedinger and Eduard Hoffmann in 1957. Made to be an easy-to-read and clear font, Helvetica was also considered “neutral.”
Following the design principles of the Swiss style, its appearance was removed from visual associations and applicable across different contexts. In 1960, the font was renamed with its today’s name, inspired by the Latin word for Switzerland – Helvetia. The font now exists in 34 weights and is adapted to different alphabets and languages.
Thanks to its visual clarity, Helvetica is popular with the U.S. government, NASA, the NYC subway, Lufthansa, Target and many more companies. It is also one of the most popular fonts for emails and other personal uses. Helvetica’s ongoing popularity has led to reinterpretations, especially due to licensing and for digital purposes – the famous Windows Arial font has similar spacing and character sizes to allow an easy replacement.
Swiss Style has left an indelible mark on the world of design. Swiss cities are a living celebration of this heritage, with posters for events, exhibitions and products pasted in public spaces, trying to attract the attention of passers-by.
A new generation of Swiss graphic designers continues expanding this visual exploration and experimentation. Switzerland is bustling with independent typeface foundries, creative studios and designers working at the intersection of heritage and innovation. Every June, they are celebrated at the Swiss Design Awards, a prestigious event alongside the world-renowned Art Basel fair.
The grid system continues to be widely used in print and has been adapted for web by creative agencies. Swiss Style has become popular on social media, with contemporary practitioners referring to the lineage while reinterpreting the rules and techniques.
Influential accounts include swissposters و swissgraphic. Both celebrate the visual diversity of Swiss posters with several hundred thousand followers, while simultaneously acting as a continuous archive for the ephemeral medium of the poster.
Perhaps we should start calling Switzerland “the land of cheese, chocolate…and Helvetica” because of its indelible mark on the world.
يمكن مشاركة هذه المقالة وإعادة طباعتها مجاناً، شريطة أن تكون مرتبطة بشكل بارز بالمقالة الأصلية.
Arabic 
English 
German 
French 
Spanish