»The New Typography« – 100 years of functional graphic design in Germany

- Graphic Design , Interview , Typography

23.05.2017

»The New Typography« – 100 years of functional graphic design in Germany

»Typography is a tool of communication. It must be communication in its most intense form.« Today of course this dictum is taken for granted, but back in 1923 when it was formulated by the Bauhaus maestro László Moholy-Nagy, it was explosive stuff. The first halting steps towards such a “New Typography” were taken almost precisely 100 years ago – and that is reason enough to take a look back at these fundamental changes in this new series.

Starting with novum 06.17 Patrick Rössler, professor of communication sciences, will take a look at functional graphic design and the concept of New Typography.

Neue Typographie new typography — »Sinnlos gewordene Mittelachsengruppierung« vs. eine konstruktive und ökonomisch (= schöne) Lösung (Jan Tschichold, »Die neue Typographie«, 1928, S. 214-15)

Functional graphic design, which to us today seems such an integral part of the modern world, in fact only emerged as a separate field of activity in the 1920s – starting first in Germany, then spreading abroad. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary since the birth of »New Typography«, which according to Tschichold arose from the publication »Prospekt zur kleinen Grosz-Mappe« in June 1919, this series of articles looks at the key developments in each era and presents designs from the movement´s leading designers.

Next in this series of articles: The catalyst – the Bauhaus (07.17); The international movement – the »Ring neue Werbegestalter« (08.17); The national offensive – »Ring” centres in Germany (09.17); The »neue Frankfurt« – a city invents itself (10.17); Central Germany – out of the metropolis into the province (11.17); Defying NS stupidity – an idea lives on (12.17).

The introductory article can be found in novum 06.17