Style IndexAbout the archive ↗

Look closer, side by side

Similar is not the same.

Compare visual signatures, composition and practical considerations. Shared features do not imply shared origins.

Style / c. 1950–1979

Swiss International Style ↗

A precise grid, asymmetrical balance and economical typography give complex information a clear visual order.

Visual signature

  1. Modular alignment
  2. Flush-left sans-serif type
  3. Restrained color and strong contrast

Characteristics

grid discipline
strict
palette logic
restricted
contrast
high
texture
flat
hierarchy
strict
ornament level
none

In practice

Build a hierarchy with size, weight and space before introducing an accent.

Swiss design contains distinct approaches; avoid presenting one rigid recipe as universal.

Style / c. 1968–1989

New Wave typography ↗

A disciplined typographic foundation is stretched through layering, altered spacing and unconventional reading paths.

Visual signature

  1. Expanded letterspacing
  2. Overlapping planes
  3. Disrupted baselines

Characteristics

grid discipline
broken
palette logic
restricted
contrast
high
texture
subtle
hierarchy
chaotic
ornament level
minimal

In practice

Establish a readable base, then choose exactly where to interrupt it.

If everything is disrupted, the intended contrast disappears.