International Typographic Style (updated)

Based on the research that I have done I found that this style of design holds a lot of power today especially when it comes to corporate identity. The main aim of the Movement was to make the designs socially useful and to gain order and clarity. 

One can notice that the result of this was extreme abstraction and that it was based on geometrical forms. 

Joseph Muller Bruckman's designs are known to be the most influential designs of the Swiss era.








For example one can notice the typeface of this design and the use of scale Brockmann used to gain this kind of impact. also in some of Brockmann's work we can see some constructivism influences and the use of red and black. 






The Swiss style designers looked for asymmetrical layouts for their designs and made strong use of the grid system as a tool to organize their layouts 



This poster shows all the Swiss style approaches to poster design. 

• No Ornamentation 
• Strict Grid Structure 
• Sans-Serif typefaces 
• Minimalist
• Overlapping words.

Some of the major components of the International Style include: 

1. Sans-Serif typography (primarily Akzidenz Grotesk, Helvetica,and Universe)
2. Asymmetrical components
3. Flush left, ragged right text alignment 
4. Mathematical grids, often on a title axis 
5. Objective black and white photography
6. Extreme geometric reduction of illustrated images 
7. Bright flat areas of colour 
8. Universal symbols 

Left poster by Ernist Keller 1955 the poster is energized by repetitive geometrical elements 

The International Typographic Style is also known as the Swiss Style. It is a graphic design style that has been developed in Switzerland during the 1950's that emphasizes cleanliness, readability and objectivity. The hallmarks of the style are asymmetric layouts, the use of the grid, Sans-Sarif typefaces and flush left, and rigged right text. It also adopted constructivist elements of geometric reduction, photomontage and simplified palette. Contributors to the Movement aimed to create a unified international style based on clear visual communication. 

: The International Typographic Style Timeline :: .. . 2014. .. :: The International Typographic Style Timeline :: .. . [ONLINE] Available at:http://smearedblackink.com/swiss_style_timeline/. [Accessed 2 February 2014].

Some important figures of the movement are Ernst Keller, Theo Ballmer, Max Bill, and Max Huber. 

The Akzidens-Grotesk typeface became most frequently used in the New typography, and it almost the norm in later Swiss graphic design. The typeface was liked for its clarity and precision, and the designers normally used it in its lower case form.

References

: The International Typographic Style Timeline :: .. . 2014. .. :: The International Typographic Style Timeline :: .. . [ONLINE] Available at:http://smearedblackink.com/swiss_style_timeline/. [Accessed 2 February 2014].

Philip B. meggs. and Alston W. Purvis.eds., 2012. Meggs’ History of Graphic Design. Fifth Edition. Hoboken Canada: John Wiley & Sons,Inc.