Swiss Style (design)

Swiss style (also Swiss school or Swiss design) is a trend in graphic design, formed in the 1950s–1960s under the influence of such phenomena as the International Typographic Style, Russian Constructivism, the tradition of the Bauhaus school, the International Style, and classical modernism. The Swiss style is associated with the activities of Swiss graphic artists, but its principles spread into many other countries.

There is difficulty in defining the boundaries of the term "Swiss style". Due to the wide distribution of the Swiss style in different countries, it is also often identified as the international phenomenon. Sometimes this concept is confused with the term International Style, which denotes the architectural system of the 1920s – 1960s and which, in turn, is associated with the development of architectural modernism in the international space (Europe, Asia, Russia, America, etc.). The term Swiss Style is also sometimes completely identified with the concept of International Typographic Style. This is wrong. The Swiss school, being a continuation of the International Typographic Style, is an autonomous phenomenon. Swiss style is an independent system associated with the formation of the graphic style of the 1950s – 1960s.

Swiss style is associated with the formation of new principles of graphic design. They were created based on graphic concepts identified by the Bauhaus school, Russian constructivism, and the International Typographic Style. The basic principles of the Swiss style include minimalist graphics, the use of a modular grid system, asymmetrical layout and sans-serif fonts. Swiss style is considered the basis of modern graphic design. In particular, it is believed that many elements of computer design (in particular, Flat Design) were formed under the influence of the Swiss style. The Swiss style is associated with the development of modern forms and the graphic basis of corporate identity.

The development of the Swiss style is associated with the formation of new principles in graphic design and is correlated with a number of prototypes, in particular, such as De Stijl, Russian constructivism, the Bauhaus school, International Typographic Style, etc. Ernst Keller had a fundamental influence on the development of the Swiss school. Having started teaching at the School of Applied Sciences in Zürich in 1918, he outlined the basic principles of the future Swiss School, and also contributed to the formation of a whole generation of graphic designers. The masters trained by Keller formed the basis of the Swiss school of graphic design. One of Keller's students was Josef Müller-Brockmann, who perfected the modular grid system and made it the basis of both the Swiss style and modern graphic design.

The idea of reform of applied graphics was outlined within the Arts and Crafts movement. Applied arts in general and applied graphics in particular were presented as the most important elements of the artistic system. The Swiss school used little or no stylistic elements of the Arts and Crafts Movement. However, the idea of new graphics, which first formed the basis of the International Typographic Style and then the Swiss Style, is associated with the Arts and Crafts Movement.

Founded in 1907, the Deutscher Werkbund was focused on the development of industrial arts and crafts. In 1913, on the initiative of Henry van de Velde, the Swiss Werkbund was founded, the purpose of which was to spread the ideas of new art and craft in Switzerland. The industrial basis and focus on functional applied forms proposed by the German and Swiss Werkbunds influenced the formation of the functional concept of the Swiss style.

The development of the Swiss school is associated not only with the development of industrial ideas, but also with the reform of art education in Switzerland. These changes affected the curricula of schools in Zürich and Basel (Schule für Gestaltung Basel). Transformations in this area are associated with the name of Julius de Pretere, a Belgian artist and graphic artist, who in 1906 was appointed the new rector of the School of Applied Arts in Zürich. De Preteret's reforms and course changes he introduced in 1908 reorganized design education. The new art education focused less on classical art forms and relied more on the possibilities of industrial design.

In 1918, Ernst Keller began teaching at the School of Applied Arts in Zürich (the school itself was founded in 1878). Keller developed a course in graphic design and typography. In his works, Keller used simple geometric shapes, intense colors, based on fundamentally simple graphic solutions. These techniques will subsequently be used by masters of the Swiss school. Keller shaped many future principles of Swiss design.