# International Typographic Style

> A post-war refinement of the New Typography in which the mathematical grid, objective photography and neo-grotesque sans-serifs were used to communicate with clarity and neutrality. Taught at the Basel and Zurich schools, it became the default language of international corporate and institutional communication.

- Period: 1950–1975
- Where: Central Europe
- Origin: Zurich & Basel, Switzerland
- Branch: Rational modernism
- Also known as: Swiss Style, Swiss Modernism
- Page: https://stylogeny.com/styles/swiss-international/

## How it works

- Build every layout on a mathematically derived modular grid.
- Set text flush left, ragged right, in a neutral sans-serif.
- Prefer objective photography over illustration.
- Create hierarchy through scale, weight and position rather than ornament.
- Use white space as an active compositional element.

## Its design choices

Defining choices make the style, characteristic ones are usual, occasional ones turn up now and then.

### Layout & composition
- [Modular grid](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/modular-grid/) (defining)
- [Dynamic asymmetry](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/dynamic-asymmetry/) (defining)
- [Column grid](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/column-grid/) (characteristic)
- [Diagonal axis](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/diagonal-axis/) (occasional)

### Space & hierarchy
- [Generous white space](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/generous-white-space/) (defining)
- [Extreme scale contrast](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/extreme-scale-contrast/) (characteristic)
- [Layered information](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/layered-information/) (characteristic)
- [Repetition & rhythm](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/repetition-and-rhythm/) (occasional)

### Typography
- [Grotesque & neo-grotesque](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/grotesque-and-neo-grotesque/) (defining)
- [Flush left, ragged right](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/flush-left-ragged-right/) (defining)
- [Type as image](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/type-as-image/) (characteristic)
- [Lowercase only](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/lowercase-only/) (occasional)
- [Rotated & vertical setting](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/rotated-and-vertical-setting/) (occasional)

### Colour
- [Limited spot colours](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/limited-spot-colours/) (defining)
- [Flat fields](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/flat-fields/) (defining)
- [Monochrome](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/monochrome/) (characteristic)
- [Light ground](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/light-ground/) (characteristic)
- [Primary triad](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/primary-triad/) (occasional)

### Form & shape
- [Geometric primitives](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/geometric-primitives/) (characteristic)
- [Rectilinear](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/rectilinear/) (characteristic)
- [Non-representational](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/non-representational/) (characteristic)

### Surface & texture
- [Flat](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/flat/) (defining)

### Ornament
- [Ornament-free](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/ornament-free/) (defining)
- [Rules & bars](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/rules-and-bars/) (occasional)

### Imagery
- [Straight photography](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/straight-photography/) (characteristic)
- [Typography only](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/typography-only/) (characteristic)
- [Treated photography](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/treated-photography/) (occasional)
- [Diagram & data](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/diagram-and-data/) (occasional)

### Medium & production
- [Offset printing](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/offset-printing/) (defining)
- [Letterpress](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/letterpress/) (characteristic)
- [Architecture & signage](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/architecture-and-signage/) (occasional)

### Tone & intent
- [Rational & objective](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/rational-and-objective/) (defining)
- [Authoritative & institutional](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/authoritative-and-institutional/) (characteristic)
- [Utopian & idealistic](https://stylogeny.com/design-choices/utopian-and-idealistic/) (occasional)

Avoids: Abundant decoration, Floral & vegetal, Ornamented display, Script, Eclectic mixing, Central symmetry, Horror vacui, Skeuomorphic material

Palette: #f2f0e9, #111111, #e1251b, #7a7a7a, #1f4e9c

Typefaces: Akzidenz-Grotesk, Helvetica, Univers, Neue Haas Grotesk

Known for: Josef Müller-Brockmann (Zurich Tonhalle posters); Armin Hofmann (Basel School of Design); Emil Ruder (Typographie, 1967); Max Bill; Neue Grafik journal (1958–1965); Max Miedinger & Eduard Hoffmann (Helvetica, 1957)

## Where it comes from, and what it’s close to

- Grew out of: [Die Neue Typographie](https://stylogeny.com/styles/new-typography.md) (1923–1940)
- Influenced by: [De Stijl](https://stylogeny.com/styles/de-stijl.md) (1917–1931)
- Influenced by: [Bauhaus](https://stylogeny.com/styles/bauhaus.md) (1919–1933)
- Led to: [Brazilian Concrete Design](https://stylogeny.com/styles/brazilian-concrete.md) (1951–1975)
- Led to: [Corporate Identity Modernism](https://stylogeny.com/styles/corporate-modernism.md) (1955–1990)
- Led to: [Di Tella Graphic Design (Instituto Torcuato Di Tella)](https://stylogeny.com/styles/di-tella-graphics.md) (1960–1970)
- Led to: [Greek Tourism Modernism (EOT)](https://stylogeny.com/styles/greek-tourism-modernism.md) (1960–1974)
- Led to: [Total Design & Dutch Functionalism](https://stylogeny.com/styles/dutch-total-design.md) (1963–1990)
- Led to: [Minimalist Graphic Design](https://stylogeny.com/styles/minimalism.md) (1965–present)
- Led to: [Swiss Punk / New Wave Typography](https://stylogeny.com/styles/new-wave-typography.md) (1968–1990)
- Led to: [Out-of-Square Hangul Typography](https://stylogeny.com/styles/out-of-square-hangul.md) (1985–present)
- Led to: [Techno-Futurist Graphics](https://stylogeny.com/styles/techno-futurism.md) (1986–2002)
- Led to: [Neo-Swiss Revival](https://stylogeny.com/styles/swiss-revival.md) (2005–present)
- Led to: [Flat Design](https://stylogeny.com/styles/flat-design.md) (2010–2016)
- Alike in its design choices: [HfG Ulm Systematic Design](https://stylogeny.com/styles/ulm-school.md) (1953–1968), 84% alike
- Alike in its design choices: [Blue Note Jazz Sleeve Modernism](https://stylogeny.com/styles/blue-note-sleeve.md) (1956–1967), 72% alike
- Alike in its design choices: [Newsroom Data Graphics & Scrollytelling](https://stylogeny.com/styles/newsroom-data-graphics.md) (2009–present), 71% alike
- Alike in its design choices: [Contemporary Arabic & Dual-Script Type Design](https://stylogeny.com/styles/arabic-latin-bilingual-type.md) (2004–present), 71% alike
- Alike in its design choices: [GOV.UK Design (GDS Style)](https://stylogeny.com/styles/govuk-design-system.md) (2012–present), 70% alike
- Alike in its design choices: [Roman-like Thai Typography (modern loopless Thai)](https://stylogeny.com/styles/thai-loopless-type.md) (1973–present), 68% alike

## Real works

- [Gestaltungsprobleme des Grafikers / The Graphic Artist and his Design Problems / Les problèmes d'un artiste graphique (cover, first edition)](https://www.emuseum.ch/en/objects/37418/gestaltungsprobleme-des-grafikers): Josef Müller-Brockmann, 1961, Museum für Gestaltung Zürich, Graphics Collection (L MUEL 1)
- [der Film (exhibition poster, Kunstgewerbemuseum Zürich)](https://www.moma.org/collection/works/4882): Josef Müller-Brockmann, 1960, The Museum of Modern Art, New York (57.1960)
- [Max Gubler, Irène Zurkinden – Kunsthalle Basel, 24 Okt.–22 Nov.](https://www.emuseum.ch/objects/71505/max-gubler--irene-zurkinden--kunsthalle-basel--24okrt-): Armin Hofmann, 1959, Museum für Gestaltung Zürich, Poster Collection (02-0769)
- [Form & Farbe – Gewerbemuseum Winterthur, Ausstellung des Schweizerischen Werkbunds SWB](https://www.emuseum.ch/objects/71501/form--farbe--gewerbemuseum-winterthur--226--157): Armin Hofmann, 1951, Museum für Gestaltung Zürich, Poster Collection (02-0669)
- [Tempel und Teehaus in Japan – Ausstellung im Gewerbemuseum Basel](https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O121676/): Armin Hofmann, ca. 1955, Victoria and Albert Museum, London (E.4-2006)
- [TM Typographische Monatsblätter, no. 4, April 1953 (cover)](https://www.emuseum.ch/en/objects/124289/tm-typographische-monatsblatter-4-1953): Emil Ruder, April 1953, Museum für Gestaltung Zürich (eMuseum)

## Sources

- Philip B. Meggs & Alston W. Purvis, Meggs' History of Graphic Design
- Josef Müller-Brockmann, Grid Systems in Graphic Design (1981)

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From Stylogeny (https://stylogeny.com/), an atlas of graphic-design styles by Van Riel Online Services. How it is made: https://stylogeny.com/about/. Cite as: Stylogeny, “International Typographic Style”, https://stylogeny.com/styles/swiss-international/