Study Wim Crouwel

Dutch Design Heroes:

Wim Crouwel

A Report on Mr. Gridnik

Wim Crouwel

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Portrait for Avenue Magazine. 1969, photo by Paul Huf

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Four Moments of Wim Crouwel

Who’s Who

Total Design

Willem Hendrik Crouwel is one of the greatest

In 1963 he co-founded Total Design, the first multi-

graphic designers worldwide. He studied at the

disciplinary design firm in The Netherlands. Other

Academie Minerva (Art School) in Groningen. After

founding members were Friso Kramer and Benno

two years spent collaborating with the prominent

Wissing, soon joined by Ben Bos. It soon became

Dutch painter and designer Dick Elffers (1910-

one of the best design offices worldwide, serving

1990), he attended the evening classes at the

prestigious clients such as De Bijenkorf, the Dutch

IvKNO—Instituut voor Kunstnijverheidsonderwijs

Post Office (PTT), Peter Stuyvesant, Randstand,

(Institute for Craftsmanship Education) in Ams-

the Schiphol Airport, and the Dutch Pavilion for the

terdam, today known as the Rietveld Academy.

1970 Osaka World Fair.

An Influential Designer

New Alphabet

By many accounts, Wim Crouwel was among the

In 1967 he released the well-known, experimental

most influential graphic designer in the Nether-

typeface called New Alphabet, conceived to work

lands, a place with a storied tradition in graphic

with the limited CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) techno-

arts and typography. He designed phone books,

logy used by early computer monitors. This tech-

postage stamps, posters, fonts, furniture, logos, and

nology rendered images in large pixels that made

signage systems for state agencies and cultural

curvilinear letterforms difficult to reconstruct, thus

institutions. Enamored by the pleasing efficiency

Crouwel used only straight lines and diagonals.

of Swiss typography and modern architecture,

New Alphabet is, in Crouwel’s words, “never meant

Crouwel embraced a rational, analytical approach

to be really used,” but a statement on the impact

in his work. “I’ve always thought a designer should

of new technologies on centuries of typographic

have a cool and detached approach,” he said in a

tradition. In 2011 it was acquired for the permanent

2012 interview. “I thought that would be of more

collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA),

use to humanity than a personal, expressionist kind

New York, that include several other projects de-

of design”

signed by Crouwel.

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At Total Design. 1965, photo aby Jan Versnel

Poster Vormgevers, 1967

At Total Design. 1965, photo aby Jan Versnel

‘New Alphabet Kwadraat-blad’, 1967

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Quotations from

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Crouwel

“I always used one word to make an image, a kind of image-based typography.”

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What has been the most important book to you as a designer?

There are many books that were important for me. But most important for me were the books of Josef Müller Brockmann.

Did you have a design mentor? If yes, what did you learn from him?

I did not have a real direct mentor. But I learned from a number of designers: Max Bill, Josef Müller Brockmann, Karl Gerstner, Emil Ruder, Richard Paul Lohse.

The main lessons were on structure.

What was your strongest skill as a designer?

Typography and three-dimensional design.

Q&A What is the thing that you have enjoyed the most of being a designer?

Never a dull moment!

What did you enjoy the most of working in Amsterdam?

It is a lively and nice city to live in.

What do you think is the most effective way of presenting a project?

To tell the client what made you find the right solution.

Explain your way of thinking.

What is the importance of experience? How it can contribute to better address a project?

The knowledge how to understand a project.

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Design by Marlene Metschies November 2024