Defining Swiss International Style Graphic Design

Table Of Content

• Top Swiss Style Templates From Envato Elements
• Over 200k developers and product managers use LogRocket to create better digital experiences
• Flat design: a contemporary design movement
• Associated movements
• The International Style & Modern Graphic Design
• Stop guessing about your digital experience with LogRocket

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Top Swiss Style Templates From Envato Elements

The tonal contrast allowed for text to be placed on top of the photograph to create a sense of depth. This specific series focuses on the feeling of the music, and he used visual graphics to translate music through rhythm, repetition and scale. His compositions very much adhered to the grid to organize elements and to make it easier for the audience to read the message. Müller-Brockmann's work is dynamic and asymmetrical, even though it's constructed on a rigid grid. The common denominator of these styles is the use of simple geometric shapes and sans serif typography with very unusual placements.

Over 200k developers and product managers use LogRocket to create better digital experiences

Above all it was motivated by a desire to exalt the subjectivity of the artist or designer. 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”).

Flat design: a contemporary design movement

The complex only housed the Bauhaus for four years before the political climate became untenable and it moved to Berlin, closing for good under Nazi pressure in 1933. Another notable graphic designer who is credited for Swiss Style’s widespread adoption is Armin Hofmann. He is most famous for his posters, which leverage a unique style, emphasizing color and fonts. His work has been displayed in major galleries around the world, including the New York Museum of Modern Art.

Sublime design: an ode to the layout grid - The Conversation Indonesia

Sublime design: an ode to the layout grid.

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Constructivism, De Stijl, Bauhaus

In 1914, Le Corbusier patented a set of prototypes called the "Dom-ino Houses" that used a point-support system of columns supporting large spans of floor space, all made of reinforced concrete, which allowed the architect complete freedom in the design of all facades. This design would prove central to his later work and would evolve into his famous Five Points of a New Architecture by 1923. The opportunity to begin anew on an undeveloped site likewise represented an opportunity to elevate Brazil's global image as a nation on par with the traditional Western powers. The layout thus appeared like the body of an airplane seen from above, fitting for a city born at the beginning of the jet age and reachable from the world beyond chiefly by airplane. (The airport was placed at the south end of the curved axis.) Prismatic steel-and-glass skyscrapers surrounded by ample green space characterize nearly the entirety of the building program, from housing to government ministries.

Associated movements

His body of work is very extensive, including posters, exhibitions, stage design, logos, and sign systems. The International Style is just one of many in the past that is notable. It made the way for intentional graphic design that focuses on the layout of elements. Whether it’s text, photographs, colors or textures – each element should be placed in order to better convey a particular message. Simplicity in design, as seen in the International style, doesn’t mean that designs are simplistic, but rather effective. Pentagram, “the world’s largest independent design consultancy”, recently designed branding for a line of products at the John Lewis department store (London).

The International Style & Modern Graphic Design

Clients turn to Thrive Agency for their ability to blend creativity with digital marketing acumen, resulting in designs that are not only visually stunning but also strategically effective. Their diverse service offerings and commitment to customized solutions make them a go-to choice for businesses seeking to elevate their graphic design and overall digital presence. The widespread acceptance of the International Style was destined to provoke a reaction. Its emphasis on the glass-and-steel prismatic form, particularly in tall buildings, did not lend itself to variation. These coalesced into his Five Points of a New Architecture that largely underlined the design tenets shared amongst most adherents of the International Style as it disseminated throughout the continent during the decade. The Villa Savoye is the last of Le Corbusier's houses that he designed during the 1920s, and fittingly is considered the summation of his "Five Points of a New Architecture" elucidated in his treatise Vers une architecture (1923).

Stop guessing about your digital experience with LogRocket

The agency acts as a conduit for innovation, embodying a dedicated team of senior-level designers adept in a multifaceted approach that marries the artistry of design with strategic business insight. With a rich portfolio characterized by fresh video and motion ads, they artfully combine static and dynamic elements, fostering enhanced customer engagement and optimized click-through rates. Every creation is a blend of innovation and alignment with brand identity, achieved through strategic planning and clear communication. The agency is an emblem of reliability, offering more strategy, consistency, and access to expert insights that catalyze online business growth. Testimonials laud SmartSites for their great communication, seamless processes, and the tangible impact of their work, including significant revenue boosts and enhanced online presence. Rated as the top digital marketing agency by multiple platforms, SmartSites not only excels in crafting remarkable designs but also in translating visual aesthetics into measurable business growth.

Like many other Swiss Graphic designers Ballmer went to the Bauhaus, but only after he was already an established designer. When we learn from the Swiss Style literature, it’s very easy to embrace the grid system as a purely visual framework. However, upon a further examination we can see that grids are more than just the art of placing elements; there’s a subtle layer of semantic organization of data which, despite not being inherent to the use of the grid, is a big part of the Swiss Style’s essence. The use of white space is another technique inherited from the Swiss School in the tradition of the International Typographic Style.

Using one repeating shape leads the audiences to the center of elements. Minimalism is the heart of International Style enactment, reflecting simplicity. Instead of going with flashy designs to attract people’s attention, you can go with minimalist and sleek designs as well. This international typography style uses text formatting that aligns text with a left margin. As design languages evolve over time to meet the needs of society, the influence of Swiss Style remains present.

Arguably the most defining characteristic of Swiss Style is its reliance on grid systems. They also help establish an information hierarchy by keeping content structured and aligned. Grid systems have transcended Swiss Style and play a big role in modern digital design and user experience. As Swiss Style emerged in the 1940s, it slowly gained more popularity in the 1950s and 1960s due to its adoption by graphic designers, including Josef Müller-Brockmann, known as the father of Swiss graphic design. He wrote several influential design books, including Grid Systems in Graphic Design, which many designers today consider to be foundational to graphic design education.

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. Also known as International Style, the Swiss Style does not simply describe a style of graphic design made in Switzerland.

Another defining factor that set California apart from the East Coast design world at the time was the sheer number of women practicing graphic design out East. Retaining greater autonomy in one’s work was a driving force behind postmodern design theory, but it also was relevant from a feminist perspective. Sheila Levrant de Bretteville’s poster for the Women’s Graphic Center illustrates just that, as it advocates the need for women to learn how to print and set type in order to create their own content. Levrant de Bretteville asserted that embracing digital technologies would facilitate greater access to those tools.