The international typographic style (its) or Swiss style,
was a modernist movement that rose in the the 1950’s. The forefathers of ITS
such as Ernst Keller (1891-1968), Theo Ballmer (1902-1965) and Max
Bill(1908-1994) to name a few, had their root’s in different disciplines such
as Bauhaus and De stijl. As a result, the ITS inherited the aesthetics of the
disciplines mentioned above. An aesthetic built around the ideas of simplicity,
universal purity and harmony, mathematical and methodical ways of designing,
functionality , legibility and abstraction. These are all ideas that carried on
into ITS and quickly became the fundamentals of the movement.
One could say that the ITS has become somewhat of an
immortal style. Because if one were to look at most modern logo designs,
architecture, web sites and even music, It becomes apparent that ITS principles
have withstood the test of time and are prevailing in our everyday lives. The
following logos will add to this idea by exemplifying the above.
The following are logos that I feel have the potential to
become “immortal”, some of them might already be considered immortal because
they have been around for a long time like Windows Apple and abc.
Square Enix
This logo was formed in 2003 when two of Japan’s major game
companies Square soft and Enix merged. One of the main reasons I chose this
logo, was that it reflects the ITS principle of simplicity. The letter forms
are legible which is achieved by a san serif type face. The Use of black which
is a neutral colour and red
which is a primary colour, which is something an
ITS designer like Theo Ballmer
would have done . Merely because of its simplicity, the Square Enix logo is my
all time favourite and really excites me whenever I see it.
Atlus
http://www.gamepur.com/news/4058-atlus-e3-2011-line-leaked-amazon.html
This logo,
like the Square Enix logo, uses a san serif type face with letter forms that
are built out of abstract shapes of primary colours. This is an ITS feature in
that it is minimalistic e.g. the colours of the logo are the primary colours
blue and red. It has no imagery that would make it complex, and to reiterate on
the above it does not use a serif type face but rather uses abstract shapes to
create a san serif type face. It is a clever design and one that has earned a spot
in my favourites.
Windows 8
http://www.fastcodesign.com/1669092/the-new-windows-8-logo-arrives-trailed-by-pirates-and-haters
This logo
is one of my favourites because it uses simple shapes to make an image which in
this case a window .This can be described as a synergy, where all the elements
of a given object form a system that becomes one. This is something Max Bill
would have done. The logo also describes how the operating system works, with
the use of “windows” that are organised into systematic panels that form the
user interface. Already the logo is showing that it is functional and fulfils
its purpose.
Apple
This logo is
another favourite of mine, mainly because it uses a silhouetted image of an
“apple “hence it communicates its identity without type. This is another
principle of ITS which can be better described as objective imagery. The object
(apple) is shown in its pure and simple form. This logo is something Hans Nuenburg
would have done as seen in the ‘The
New Graphic Design’, (1962) creating design with the use of simple silhouette’s. This approach
makes the apple logo a universal logo.
Abc (American Broadcasting Company)
The abc
logo for me represents the true aesthetic of the ITS .The logo is constructed
by a circle which is a basic and universal shape, and the letter forms are
constructed by negative space. Each letter form is simplified to its elemental
configuration that is to say for the “b” it I merely a circle with a vertical
line placed on the top left of its
circumference to form a “b”
This is the
end of my blog and I hope it has helped you understand the ITS and how it’s
core principles and aesthetic are all around us.
