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ConDesign1CD CDConDesignJosef Muller-Brockmann

Looking back at the Swiss-born

photographer, designer and how his

work transformed a generation

Fabulous

Fall

Furniture

10 Hidden

InDesign

Shortcuts

October 2010

the world’s number one design magazine

SPECIAL EDITION

How

Apple

Re-designed

Design

:

ConDesign ConDesign110 111CD CD

In the ever-evolving world of the contemporary graphic design those who came before are often forgotten in the search of the next big thing. It is surprising then that many new, fashionable de-signs intentionally conjure work that was cre-ated by designers of earlier era - designers who worked not with a computer but with pen and paper - designers like Josef Müller-Brockmann.One of the twentieth century’s most impor-tant graphic designers, the Swiss-born Mül-ler-Brockmann is the father of function-al, objective design and an influential figure for generations of designers around the world. While many of his contemporaries moved to the United States and elsewhere in Europe, Müller-Brockmann based himself in Zurich and established his reputation there. He adapted his approach to a changing world, moving from an early illustrative style to a modern constructivist approach, making full use of geometrical form and the grid system to provide an underlying structure to graphic work.

With sans-serif fonts as Akzidenz Grotesque, Hel-vetica, and Univers predominating the field of ty-pography in mid 20th century modernism, ‘strong geometric forms, strong and evident use of under-lying grid structure, aim of objectivity, standardized systems, abstraction, reduction of form’ and graph-ic designer, Joseph Muller-Brockmann, were key components to Swiss Style. This structured Swiss style to which Muller-Brockmann is claimed to have pioneered, emerged as a national style writ-ten in New Graphic Art as: “Out of the constraint imposed by the general mode of expression char-acteristic of a whole period the poster of one par-ticular country in time develops a language peculiar to itself. Such an evolution is possible, especial-ly at the beginning, only if occasional recourse may be had to the national style of painting. They have become representative of the emotional and imaginative world of a particular people.”Joseph Muller-Brockmann was born in Rapperswil, Swit-zerland in 1914 where he completed his secondary

BelowBrockmann’s Nestle ad continued

school. In 1930, he started an apprenticeship in Zu-rich as a graphic designer where he studied archi-tecture, design and history or Art at the University of Zurich. In breaking off his apprenticeship for designer and advertising consultant Walter Diggelman, he au-dited courses by Ernst Keller and Alfred Willimann at the Zurich School of Arts and Crafts. In 1936, MB established his own studio in Zurich where he free-lanced as a designer and illustrator specializ-ing in graphics, exhibition design and photography. Before serving as a lieutenant in the Swiss army from 1939 to 1945 he designed the pavilion of honor for the Swiss universities and the “Physics and Medicine” and “History of Swiss Art” sec-tions for the 1939 National Fair. During his ser-vice years he also married violinist Verena Brock-mann and was privy to his son Andreas’ birth. Due to the war’s end in 1945 MB restarted his career in design by establishing himself as an il-lustrator using surrealistic and humorous charac-teristics in his specific style, as well as focusing on exhibition design. Having great skill in the scenic and three-dimensional space MB was contracted for jobs by the Zurich Department of Culture as well as designing sets for various sets in Switzer-land. This period of time MB notes as being his most creative period stating in an interview for Eye magazine, “My most creative period was in fact my worst because at the time my work was still illustra-tive. But this period of discovery and clarification eventually led to the rich productivity of my forties.” MB’s next endeavor, that of the 1950s typo-graphical posters of Tonhalle, the Zurich con-cert hall, caused objectivism in his work as he moved from the illustrative to the constructive.

Josef Muller Brockmann

SwissBorn de

Sign

By Jared Olson

Text by Yvonne Schwemer-Scheddin, Lesley Hunt & Jared OlsonAccording to Lars Muller in his book Joseph Muller-Brockman: Pioneer of Swiss Graphic Design, he stated that the ‘reduction of type sizes and cuts and the functional organization of the information

OppositeThe famous yellow cow as part of a Nestle ad

:

top to bottom

The cover of my design magazine followed by the spreads. The article reflects on the great Swiss-designer, Josef Muller Brock-mann, and pays trib-ute to how his work transformed graphic design.

ConDesign ConDesign112 113CD CD

in asymmetrical arrangements are the design princi-ples behind his work.’ Through these pieces MB began to favor Akzidenz-Grotesk typeface and used it often. His change in style is most evidently seen by com-paring his advertisements for Hermes typewriters printed in 1949 to that of his Zurich Tonhalle concert posters. In the Hermes ads he employs a humorous and illustrative style to which he uses in another cam-paign in 1952 for the Zurich metropolitan police. Through this, the trade press was quoted saying this was “not only a completely new departure in the field of official graphic design: it would find a ready response in any field of advertising.” The modern constructive style of the Tonhalle posters of 1951 is his greatest divergence from an illustrative style seen only a year earlier in his Zurich June Festival. Photomontage was another technique employed by MB, his first poster in such a style was the “Watch that Child!” design for the Swiss Automobile club competition. According to Lars Muller, “MB de-veloped an enduring passion for poster design.” The 1951 Zurich Tonhalle posters MB created with ‘geometric and abstract elements arranged in free, non-constructive two-dimensional composi-tions’ which mimicked the music MB so greatly loved. These arrangements of type and shape were meant to interpret the music in a two-dimensional space. Paul Rand in his preface to Josef Muller-Brockmann: Pioneer of Swiss Graphic Design states in regards to the Tonhalle concert posters: “His posters for the Tonahlle reveal an artist at work, as well as on who fathoms the world of com-munication, with a particular audience for a partic-ular function. His posters are comfortable in the worlds of art and music. They do not try to imitated musical notation, but they evoke the very sounds of music by visual equivalents – not a simple task.” New Graphic Design was on the verge and MB was appointed in 1957 as director of the department of graphic design and successor to Ernst Keller for the Zurich School of Arts and Crafts by Hans Fischli.

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Through modifying the curriculum to include general studies and building on a one-year founda-tion course in the fundamentals of design MB wrote a book “The Graphic Artist and his Design Problems” to which he offered his educational methods and thus retired from teaching in 1960. Few believed his methods in constructive principles would gain much achievement however, he had a few followers who in 1958 founded the magazine “New Graphic Design.” In testament to his principles of visual communica-tion as timeless, much criticized as he was, MB said: “What I try to achieve in my work is to communi-cate information about an idea, event or product as clearly as possible. Such a down-to-earth presenta-tion is barely affected by present-day trends. But it is not so much a question of making a statement that will be valid for all time as of being able to communicate information to the recipient in a way that leaves him or her free to form a positive or negative opinion . . .”

RightTypographical poster created for a musical perfor-mance

LeftBrockmann set up his poster outside then photographed it from multiple distances

ConDesign ConDesign114 115CD CD

In the 60s MB with self-imposed constraints fur-thered his representation in reducing his de-sign elements to only typography. In regards to his abandonment of illustration MB said in his brief from his book The Graphic Designer and His Design Problems, “He abandoned illustra-tion because he realized that the illustrative solu-tion never quite served the purpose of the work in hand. In particular, it did nothing to promote the sought-after documentary character of the draw-ing but rather lent it an individualistic note that was at variance with the modern advertising style.” In setting himself apart he worked with Phil-ip Rosenthal, porcelain manufacturer, Max Weishaupt, manufacturer of oil and gas burners and was appointed design advisor for the American computer company, IBM, in west-ern Europe all while lecturing internationally.

SurroundingGraphic art posters for a car company

In 1964 Verena Brockmann was killed in an accident. MB went on to design the “Education, Science and Research” section for the Swiss National Fair which became another internationally recognized piece.

Working on exhi-bitions, traveling giving lectures and touring exhi-bitions, while win-ning numerous awards MB spent the latter years of his life spread-ing his timeless design structure and philosophy harboring the objective power of graphic art.

center

Another spread pay-ing tribute to Brock-mann’s work. His grid system was the focus of this class project and inspired spreads reflecting Swiss-design.

11:11

frolick ft scrotch

wal-T man

couch potato ft dan gross

gimme ya teeth

second �oor senior

ad rumb ft d chem

cindy’s breakfast

quad pod ft dean & too tall

d.u.i. ft. ‘07

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clockwise

The subtle design of a future album cover followed by the two inner spreads and the back. Our assignment was to create all inserts of a cd case then cut and fit them into the case provided.

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GG a n a l o g i c c o m p l e m e n t a r y

t r i a dt e t r a d

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A class project reflecting the under-standing of figure/ ground concepts fol-lowed by completing four color patterns. During the process, color wheel experi-ence was gained as well as knowledge in how shapes relate.

analogic

tetrad

complimentary

triad

WTop

A women showing off our class as-signment of “reflec-tion and extension” between letters and scanned images. The woman gained a crafty weapon later thanks to the letter “X.”

Bottom

A man climbing a “L” staircase while a women’s sweater extends into a “W.”

H GEL

EHAIR

H GEL

EHAIR

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right

A hair gel logo with a description to end any and all confu-sion.

Largest to

clockwise

Photos taken for various photography projects including self portrait, depth of field, final project, stop motion, self portrait and edge of light.

(319) 885-6530

(319) 885-6530

top to bottom

Promotional magnet drafts for a new Shell Rock Clinic. The bot-tom draft was finally selected and cur-rently is being used by the Shell Rock Clinic.

Dear Friends,It is my pleasure to presentWaverly Health Center ’sAnnual Report for 2009-2010.It was an outstanding year andI am proud of every memberof our team for another yearfilled with high quality, patientfocusedhealth care.This past year was markedby our designation as aPatient-Centered Hospital bythe Planetree Alliance. Thisachievement put us in rarecompany as there are onlynine designated hospitals inthe country. Our very strongmedical staff expanded withseveral more highly skilledproviders. Our team membersreceived awards, earned veryhigh marks from patientsand families and served asleaders in their professionsand communities. Finally,we weathered the economicdownturn by making somesmall and some large changes.But the most significantaccomplishment of the year isthat together we made greatstrides towards achieving ourvision of being recognized forproviding the premiere healthcare experience in Iowa.Mike Trachta, CEO

Wa v e r l y H e a l t h C e n t e r w i l l p r o v i d e t h e h i g h e s tq u a l i t y, p a t i e n t - f o c u s e d h e a l t h c a r e .

Wa v e r l y H e a l t h C e n t e r w i l l b e r e c o g n i z e d f o rp r o v i d i n g t h e p r e m i e r h e a l t h c a r e e x p e r i e n c e i n I o wa .

Integrity “We will be honest, respectful and trustworthy.”

Compassion “We will care for others with dignity and empathy.”

Innovation “We will be creative, progressive and open to change.”

Excellence “We will eagerly provide a smile and friendly atmosphere.”

Enthusiasm “We will consistently provide quality care and service.”

Values

Vision

Mission

Report to the Community 2010July 2009-June 20102010 Ca lendar

left to right

Final draft for the Waverly Health Center’s 2010 Annual Report and calendar.I worked on this extensively at the health center to bring a more modern ap-proach to the hospi-tal’s previous layout.

MHospital

Trip to the

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honor

bravery

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P ag e4

P ag e7 P ag e10

P ag e5 P ag e6P ag e3

P ag e9P ag e8

ThoughtsFeelingsDoodles

left to right

The front cover and table of contents for a children’s coloring book/scrapbook. This goes out to adolescent hospital patients that end up spending the night in the hospital. It gives the children an opportunity to keep their mind off their visit while provid-ing a memory when they are released. This 10 page piece is currently being used and distributed by Waverly Health Center.

MHospital

back cover

Circle how you got around during your stay at the hospital!

How I got Around

Wheelchair Wagon

My Own Feet

3

Write down everything you ate then give it a thumbs up or thumbs down!

Circle one

What I Ate

4

I felt.. .I thought...

I doodled!

Share your feelings, who you met and then draw your favorite moments!

6

The doctor is having a hard time reading your chart without glasses! Help the doctor out by drawing in everything that happened during your stay at the hospital!

?

I Helped with My Chart

5

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Four sample pages of the book followed by the back cover.

Jared OlsonJa

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