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"By composing activity areas to facilitate various activities – from art performance to hydrotherapy – the retreat aims to offer both mental and physical stimulation. "The design philosophy follows the metaphor offered by tiles, a material which can be fragile and easily broken in its singular form, yet is resilient and strong once bonded all together." "The design approach embraces the patients' experiences, allowing them to share, grow and heal. "The site chosen is a 1920s parking garage in Florence, originally designed by Pier Luigi Nervi.
Historical Development and Influences
Its principles of simplicity, precision, and clarity have become ubiquitous in modern design and have had a significant impact on the way we communicate visually. In the European Union (EU), Swiss design has been particularly influential, shaping the visual language of Western culture and setting the standard for modern design. In this article, we will take a closer look at the history and characteristics of Swiss design, explore some notable examples of its use in the EU, and discuss its ongoing relevance in today’s design landscape. Whether you’re a design enthusiast, professional, or simply interested in the power of visual communication, this article will provide you with valuable insights into the world of Swiss design and its impact on the EU and beyond.
The Grid System
Graphic Design and Advertising by Geigy 1940-1970 Wallpaper - Wallpaper*
Graphic Design and Advertising by Geigy 1940-1970 Wallpaper.
Posted: Fri, 08 Oct 2010 07:00:00 GMT [source]
The goal for visual order and organization naturally calls for a heavy use of typographic grids, which offer a systemized way to present a clear message. Another reason why Josef Müller-Brockmann is front and center when talking about Swiss design is his work with grids. The last few weeks I’ve been looking at the industry shift to a flatter design aesthetic. First was a look at skeuomorphism and the reasons it exists before falling out of favor. Next was flat design starting with how it’s done wrong followed up with thoughts about why it’s creating a new foundation for design on the web.
Swiss Design Principles
Bradbury Thompson, a prominent magazine art director, designed a publication called Westvaco Inspirations for a major paper manufacturer from 1938 until the early 1960s. His playful and innovative approach to type and imagery is shown in the design of a spread from Westvaco Inspirations 210 (1958). He explored printing techniques by separating the four plates used to print full-colour images—cyan (a warm blue), magenta, yellow, and black—and having them printed in different positions on the page. He also had engravings from old books enlarged and overprinted in unexpected colours. These experiments were very influential, as they showed a generation of designers new possibilities. By applying these Swiss design principles, designers can create designs that are both aesthetically pleasing and functional.
Constructivism, De Stijl, Bauhaus
This is what gives the posters of the Swiss Style a timeless look that continues to have a strong impact amongst audiences. The limitation of sans-serif fonts led designers to use big typeface families. Univers was one of these sans serifs that included multiple weights and widths.
The designer established two seating areas within the space, including a cozy gathering spot with chaise longues that flank the original carved marble fireplace. The room’s coffered ceilings were enhanced with a faux-wood decorative painting by Jhon Ardilla. Designer Rachel Scheff used the home’s spectacular ceiling, woodwork, and stained glass as the inspirations for her fanciful, flora- and fauna-filled foyer.
Art and Exhibit Catalog / Lookbook Template (INDD, IDML)
Cazu Zegers to Design New Memorial Garden at the Red Cross Headquarters in Switzerland - ArchDaily
Cazu Zegers to Design New Memorial Garden at the Red Cross Headquarters in Switzerland.
Posted: Tue, 29 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
His work gives even greater weight to typography and employs striking tonal contrasts. Hoffman held a teaching appointment at Yale University in the mid 1950s, and was instrumental in bringing the Swiss style to the United States. The Arts and Crafts movement in Britain was led by figures like William Morris.
Characteristics of style
Toys, masks, and other folkloric souvenirs collected from their travels were laid out on tables next to stones, buttons, pieces of bark and favourite books. The British architects, Peter and Alison Smithson, described the house as ‘a cultural gift parcel’. Its fusion of the mass-manufactured and folkloric appeared in the Eames films and graphic projects, like their 1952 interlocking House of Cards game, for which Eliel Saarinen coined the term ‘spiritual function’. Continuing their experiments, they produced sculpture, chairs, screens, tables and even toy animals in moulded plywood.
Grow-at-home furniture
The style was influential in many different types of design, like architecture, typography, textile design, and books. An office space in the Gatehouse is now a soothing spa-inspired lounge designed by Margaret Lalikian. The designer referenced the house’s original name, El Robles—Spanish for oak tree—with a tree-filled landscape mural by Arpy Dabbaghian. “For the wall mural, I had to pick something to bring them into nature and a calming environment,” Lalikian says. A palette of whites, deep blues, and gold creates an elegant atmosphere in the formal living room, which was designed by Rachel Duarte.
These movements also emphasised the designer's point of view and personal take on any creation. Josef Müller-Brockmann, another student of Keller’s, heavily focused his work around the grid system and Akzidenz-Grotesk typeface. Probably the most influential typeface for this movement, Akzidenz-Grotesk was released by the Berthold Type Foundry in 1896 and was arguably the first of its kind. It soon became one of the most widely used typefaces and was even sold in the U.S. under the names “Standard” or “Basic Commercial.” If that doesn’t shout “FIRST! The 19th century marked the separation of design from fine art, and with it, the birth of grid-based design. "Integrating intentional design, natural elements, historical context and the essence of Kintsugi, it goes beyond traditional health centres, embodying a healing approach where past wounds are embraced as sources of strength and beauty.
"The project repurposes the former tram depot building of Varlungo, Florence, which was built in 1890." "With multiple activities on each level, the idea is to encourage spontaneous interactions for visitors, allowing them to develop new interests and relationships with both the art around them and the people they encounter. "Kalmar is a proposed design research and art centre in the south of Sweden.
Müller-Brockmann is one or the more well known names, but he’s hardly the only one. You can read more about a few of the influential designers of the Swiss Style on the other side of the links below. Designjudge.co.uk is the online portfolio of Matt Judge, a London based designer. Apart from the simplicity and the obvious use of a grid, Subtraction employs a very well defined structure that makes it very intuitive to understand the content that’s presented and how we can interact with it. Subtraction is the personal web site of Koi Vinh, the Design Director at NYTimes. Vinh is famous for his advocacy of the use of grid systems and is often quoted as an authority on the subject.
Morris believed that the mechanization of the industrial period had diminished the quality of craft work, and he urged a return to a Medieval model of artisanship. For whatever reason, this movement for the independence of design was strongest in the German speaking world and the English speaking one. For a snapshot of its effects in the early 20th century, we can consider one English movement, the Arts and Crafts, and one German one, the Jugendstil (or “youth style”). Many of these features have become so prevalent in design that we no longer think of them as distinctively Swiss. To get a sense of how distinctive they were at the time, however, let’s consider two American advertisements from the period—one pre-Swiss Design, one post-Swiss Design. Indeed, for many people, Swiss Design is basically synonymous with Helvetica—the very name of which in fact means “Swiss” (in Latin, Switzerland was the Confederatio Helvetica)—which was designed in 1957 and hit the market in 1960.
His most famous work is the book Die neue Typographie which organised most of the modernist design principles. He went to England in 1947 were he was wired to Penguin Books and directed the creation of the famous Penguin Composition Rules. In a world where clutter is the norm, Swiss design emerges as the Zen master of visual aesthetics. Imagine the crisp air of the Alps distilled into form and function — that’s the essence we’re diving into.
"Eliška designed a carefully thought-out program which includes a mortuary, autopsy room, lounge, farewell service, offices and auditoriums." "The four-storey reinforced concrete structure will house apartments, recreational facilities, study and work spaces as well as a food hall. "This project created a solution to affordable housing, awarding access to young environmental entrepreneurs.
Swiss designers believe that typography should be the foundation of all design, and that typefaces should be carefully chosen to ensure that they complement the overall design. One example of Swiss design in the EU is the branding of the German airline Lufthansa. The airline’s logo, designed by Otl Aicher in 1963, features a simple and timeless design that has become synonymous with the airline and the concept of air travel itself. The logo’s use of a sans-serif typeface, a simplified color palette, and a clean and bold design are all hallmarks of Swiss design.
