Joseph Müller-Brockmann

Josef Müller-Brockmann DESIGN PIONEER The man who many refer to as “the pioneer of Swiss Design” was born in Rapperswil, Switzerland in 1914. From that point onward, Josef Müller-Brockmann would live the rest of his life with an open-minded approach, absorbing knowledge from a wide variety of fields. He had encounters with the arts, design, humanities, and sciences. MB was also affected directly by World War II, which enlisted him as a Swiss soldier. This multitude of experiences enabled MB to think outside of the design bubble, which only strengthened his work. Müller-Brockmann exemplifies a life of curiosity and hard work. Without his contributions, design would not be what it is today. MB’s first encounter with design was in 1932, where he attended courses taught by Ernst Keller and Aldred Williman at the Zurich School of Arts and Crafts. These two people gave MB the foundation for his graphic design knowledge. During 1935, he would become a free-lance graphic designer and would develop his own personal style. He became the youngest member of the Swiss Werkbund, an association of architects and designers. In 1939 MB would join the Association of Swiss Graphic Designers. Here, his invention of the grid would be also be applied by his graphic design peers.

SWISS GRAPHIC DESIGN AND THE GRID Swiss Graphic Design did not develop from pure aesthetic reasons. With the heavy presence of the second world war, tensions were high and there was opposing views in society.

There was a clash of conservatism and new constructive modernism, which was characterized by the push for architecture, art, and commercial graphic design. This is where signature Swiss Graphic Design developed from; a new approach to the arts.

Even when MB was not working in the design field, his experience in the Swiss army during the early 40s only strengthened his belief in graphic design. Stated by Lars Müller

Grid in three-dimensional space / Perspective drawing / 1981

in Josef Müller-Brockmann: Pioneer of Swiss Graphic Design,

“Experience in the war years led Josef Müller-Brockmann to the belief that graphic design — if it was to inform and enlighten without being manipulative — had to be based on objective criteria.”

MB believed that graphic design’s purpose was not subjective.

For the most part, he produced work that shined in an objective light for visual communication. He adhered to the bare bones of graphic design which relied heavily upon his own invention of the grid system. In his own book, Grid Systems in Graphic Design: A Visual Communication Manual for Graphic Designers, Typographers and Three Dimensional Designers, he states how the grid will help designers with their design problems and will provide a solution that is “functional, logical, and also more aesthetically pleasing.”

Grid used for CWS Soap Dispenser Co. commercial branding / Company van / 1958

POSTER DESIGN Josef Müller-Brockmann is well-known work for his poster designs. In 1953, he designed the “Watch that Child!” campaign poster for the Swiss Automobile Club. In this work he plays with scale to emphasize the danger that automobiles pose on children. His Zurich Tonhalle concert posters are also held in high regard. The 1955 “beethoven” concert poster has geometrical and abstract elements that are arranged in a

MB loved music and studied it in his free time. He justified that music could be interpreted abstractly through the 2D form of posters. This was a ground-breaking discovery for music and design. In 1959, he made the “June Festival” concert poster which relied on the grid to compose both the top graphic elements of rectangles and the 4 columns of text located at the bottom of the poster.

His work for Zurich Tonhalle is timeless. Any poster from this work is great reference for design that is both functional and visually pleasing.

Zurich Tonhalle / musica vida Concert poster / 1970 Letters placed at irregular intervals to display rhythm

June Festival / Program for the Stadttheater / 1957

Swiss Automobile Club / “Watch that Child!” / Campaign poster / 1953

systematic way, reflecting the classical music itself.

FOR YOUNG DESIGNERS Having design experience with all types of work, including design advisory, corporate identity, commercial design, exhibition design, teaching and more, MB not only left an imprint on the design field, but he also left one on the world. In a 1995 interview with Eye Magazine , he had some insightful words of advice for young designers:

“I would advise young people to look at everything they encounter in a critical light and try to find a better solution. Then I would urge them at all times to be self-critical.”

On a daily basis people expose themselves to a plethora of advertisements and other visual media not only through their phones but through the world around them. In times like this, where technology is constantly at the tips of our fingers, being critical thinkers of what we are exposed to is of the utmost importance. If we adhere to Josef Müller-Brockmann’s thinking, we’ll enable ourselves to recognize the difference between distracting, visual racket and clear, visual communication.

Graphic designers, especially, must apply the latter during their careers to create work that enhances the world.

Zurich Tonhalle / Concert poster / 1955

June Festival / Zurich Tonhalle Concert poster / 1959