The popularity of generated content and social media is transforming the web. No longer does a site need a flashy intro or exciting graphics to entice a user to dig deeper, search engines and smart architecture bring the user right to what they are seeking, and when they find that… they want to appreciate it for what it is. Usability, readability and find-ability are in style, while hefty load times, blinking graphics, and cluttered pages are out. The best example is the decline of users flocking to MySpace, seeking structure, order and clarity they are now looking to make less visually complex social media hubs their home.

This focus on content is similar to the shift in design that happened after World War II known as the International Typographic Style (or Swiss Style) Movement. The Swiss movement grew out of the Bauhaus and New Typography Movements, which were grounded in functional typography, clear communication, and geometric designs. The Chief characteristics of the international typographic style are designs that include minimal graphics and a focus on typography, sans-serif Typefaces, black and white photography, and grid based layouts. Pioneers of the Swiss style were Max Huber, Emil Ruder, Josef Müller-Brockman, and Armin Hofman. What really helped facilitate the success of this movement was the Swiss governments support of it, adopting it as the look and feel for Switzerland.

Over time the Swiss Style has been used in publications, on posters, and in signage, but I have noticed it is beginning to evolve and become popular online. This evolution has been happening for some time now in the design community but is quickly being spread to social media sites, and the Online News Industry. What has spawned this Swiss revival? I am sure there are lots of factors, but I personally think it may be in part to the renewed interest in typography that has happened since the release of the film Helvetica by Gary Hustwit. Helvetica was one of the premiere typefaces created during the Swiss movement (along with Akzidenz-Grotesk); it’s name is derived from Confoederatio Helvetica the latin name for Switzerland. The film traces the history of the typeface and interviews famous designers who all can relate to Helvetica. It helps to trace the origins of todays design back to the International Typographic Style, and makes typography cool.

While very few sites stay strict to all of the defining qualities of The international typographic style, many are heavily influenced by the overall look, and stay true to many of the features. I put together some comparisons and examples and were amazed by the similarities.

Minimal Graphics and Focus on Typography

Neue Grafik Magazine published 1958-1965

IA Japan is a “Strategic Design Agency” based in Japan.

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Sans-serif Typefaces

One in a series of posters Josef Müller-Brockman designed for the Zurich Opera House. He was interested in the patterns in typography mimicking the rhythm in music.
5ThirtyOne is a blog by Derek Punsalan is a Designer in Seattle.

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Black and White Photography
Publication from the Hochschule für Gestaltung Ulm
Design by Anthony Froshaug
(photo courtesy of Mason Wells)
Jon Tan is a Designer in Bristol, UK

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Grid Layout

Knoll Poster by Muller-Brockman
Evening Tweed is a graphic Design Collective in the UK

There are 3 specific types of sites that are leading the charge in the resurgence of the Swiss style online, however I am going to save that for another post. A topic I am totally fascinated with, I can assure you there is more to come!

Special thanks to Mason Wells and his fantastic Flickr stream.

Hinge of Africa
One of my closest friends from growing up is heading to Burkina Faso this week through the Peace Corps. While setting up her blog, a fellow designer recommended Hinge Of Africa via Twitter. A web designer who writes a fantastic blog, and a blogger who has been featured on the Sundance channel for her site about planning green weddings, I feel like I can really relate with this couple traveling all the way to Cameroon to teach computer literacy. This is a feed I am really looking forward to following.

National Archives Digtial Archives
When I worked for the army, every once in a while they would send me out to the National Archives to find some photos. It is a fantastic facility with millions of photos, unfortunately over time, some get misplaced and others are very hard to find. This interactive experience is a tip of the ice burg… there should be some place online that attempts to catalog all of the amazing photography in our nations public domain. An entertaining and beautifully designed flash piece by Second Story, I find the overall user experience and method of navigation to be a little frustratingly.

Cooler & Lipster
I found Lipster via Cooler, both are female focused media outlets that have branded themselves without being overtly feminine. While I dig stuff targeted towards my gender, I am terribly turned off by anything branded to be that way (words like babes chicks and girls… yack!). Both are fresh, with great design and tons of personality that are relevant to what I am into. Lipster is a pop magazine for those who want to get the dirt with attitude, and Cooler is an awesome surf magazine.

Ampersand
I love the ampersand. Its a great typographical element that can jazz up just about any boring piece of text. A whole blog just about a symbol that stands for “and”. RAD.

Favrd
An extreme time suck, I will go to this site and find myself horribly at odds on whether to continue laughing so hard that my FIJI water spurts out my nose, or finally get back to doing something productive ( like… blogging. snap). Favrd takes some of the wittiest comments from Twitter and serves them up here for your enjoyment.. brevity surely is the soul of wit.

I know I know, I am so delinquent this time. I vow to do better next time, and please forgive me for being 11 days late on this post… the great outdoors has been calling my name.

Upon my most recent visit to Art-O-Matic I found myself enchanted by a single exhibit… the Washington Post Peep Show. The 2nd annual contest happened back in March, but the exhibit is currently on display at Art-O-Matic . It is a spectacular celebration of wit, creativity, and craft. Not only was each little box a jubilant little experience, but the entire concept a fantastic exhibit. The fact that creativity sprang from all of these ordinary Post readers to create miniature snapshots in time using marshmallows… that was what really got me. No these weren’t kindergarten-grade dioramas, these were magnificent little masterpieces.

Here’s the background info:

The Washington Post’s Sunday Source Section held a competition, the rules were simple and included

1) Think of a scene, historic, current of in the future

2) Buy enough peeps to play the characters in the diorama

3) Make your diorama using a shoebox or a comparable box.

This was the second year that The Post held such a competition and they received over 800 entries. My favorites included “Peep Art” with a miniature marshmallow Andy Warhol- complete with ratty white wig, “Amy Winepeep” reciting “they tried to make me go to rehab and I said peep peep peep”, and “Peeps Atop a Skyscraper (c. 1932)” which mimicked a famous black and white photograph. Walking around the exhibit, every turn was a delightful surprise… I began by shrieking “Look, Elvis Peeplsey!“, then turned to discover one after another fantastic diorama.

After doing some online investigating I found that the Peeps Diorama Contest is not unique to Washington DC, and it’s actually sponsored by Peeps, the candy company. The online execution of this marketing campaign has a lot of room for improvement…I had a hard time Googling any clear details on Peeps involvement in the contest and did a lot of poking around before I could find it on their official brand site (usability nightmare). However the sheer number of entries is proof that great concepts can carry a campaign and engage based on the fact they are inviting and original.

To View all of my Pictures from Art-O-Matic check out my Flickr Set.
To See this years Winners Click Here.
To see last years winner, click here.

Other Peeping Cities:
Peeps up in Chicago
Where My Michigan Peeps at?
Peeps Denver Style

Art-O-Matic is by far my favorite local DC event. Now, an annual event, this gathering of creatives takes place in an uninhabited building that has been donated so that artists of all kinds can take it over for about a month. The experience is unique in the wide range of art forms and mediums represented, all juxtaposed right next to each other.

This years event has over 600 visual artists and 300 performers participating with two music stages, a theater space, dance space, a poetry room, a film room, and a classroom. If you decide to visit during the peek hours you can see anything from open mic to burlesque or even fire dancers (my favorite part so far).

When I first moved to the DC area from Richmond, a town that has a tight-knit alternative art scene, I was astonished at the lack of art community in the area. After going to Art-O-Matic for the first time last year I learned that it is not that there is a lack of an art community, but that there are many little ones spread all over the DC area. Art-O-Matic which is completely run by volunteers and donations, does a fantastic job pulling together the scene and throwing an engaging and eclectic party.

I went Friday for Opening night and tried to take it all in.With 10 floors of stuff to do and see you just can’t. I highly recommend checking Art-O-Matic out, and if you can… a few times because it is such an overwhelming experience.

Friday, May 9 – Sunday, June 15, 2008
http://www.artomatic.org/

Lucha Libre Posters
There is nothing that gets me more pumped about designing than some masked Mexican wrestlers running around in spandex. Just look at these poster designs, they are fantastic! If you are looking for intriguing visuals, fun uses of color, and some entertaining poster design just search “Lucha Libre Posters” on Flickr.

Urge the Boys
I love the jewelry being sold on this site as much as I love the logo. The mix of vintage and modern is what really gets me exited about these pieces of art. Too bad it has to be shipped all the way from Australia, but perhaps that is what supplies all the fantastic inspiration.

Book By Its Cover
An exquisit little blog that highlights interesting books and book illustration. I can just tab through here for hours, if not for ideas but for a little taste of nostalgia.

Cuban Poster Art
This blog highlights some very interesting examples of cuban poster art. I really enjoy the variation in styles and background on history.

Sweet Napa
Chocolate is an art. This blog really is delicious. I am not sure how long it will last in my feed reader, because it temps the crap out of me, but a great find none the less. I found this via KV’s post

What you see here folks, is the first time I have ever been severely delinquent on a “Choice Links” post. I apologize, I am sure you all just sit waiting by the feed reader for me to drop some delicious links on you (not), but I feel the need to apologize… you see I have developed a severe case of ridiculous blog guilt. In an effort to reinforce “blog guilt” ’s sheer ridiculousness I have made it a point to say “nice weather comes before the blog”… inspired by Chris Glass’s T-shirt pictured above. Now go on… get out of here… take a walk, ride your bike, or shred some on your longboard…. because you aren’t going to become a better designer rotting away in front of the internet on lovely days!