Before Class, Chapter 18: The International Typographic Style

The 1950's was a time of innovation. Swiss design (aka The International Typographic Style) consisted of asymmetrical organization. Grids were used to start composing design elements and sans-serif type "set in flush-left and ragged right margin configuration." Expressions and solutions were denied by many artists of this time because they embraced a universal and scientific approach instead.

There were many important pioneers of this movement such as Ernst Keller, Theo Ballmer and Max Bill's just to name a few but the main basis of international typographic style came from the School of Design in Basel. This curriculum had an important design program that many designers enrolled in to learn the basis of geometric exercises. The School of Design in Basel were the true roots of the international typographic style movement.

Now this chapter talks about design in Basel, Zurich, Canada, Switzerland and other parts of the world but the international typographic style in America grabbed my attention the most (call me patriotic). The international typographic style impacted America hard after postwar years. Rudolph DeHarak was a graphic designer who began his career in America. In DeHarak's eyes, "communicative clarity and visual order are qualities vital to effective graphic design." As you look at his compositions, you can see that they are organized and have abstract geometric elements. I personally like his designs because I believe visual order is very necessary and it makes it easier for the audience to understand the message trying to be conveyed. The international typographic style was embracing many artists and their audiences. The style was used in corporate and institutional graphics used by designers all over the country.