Typography, a key element in graphic design, has transformed over the years. While the formalism of modernist traditions set a foundation in the 1920s, change was inevitable. Fast forward four decades and a rebellion against clean design has emerged globally. This led to a transformative era in typography, with New Wave Typography at the forefront.
In the early 1970s, a rebellion against modernist formalism gained momentum. Wolfgang Weingart, a young designer in Basel, Switzerland, challenged typographic conventions, birthing New Wave Typography. It became known for its boundless energy, technical innovation, and a willingness to explore uncharted design territory.
Between 1968 and 1974, Weingart breathed new life into typography, questioning traditions and introducing concepts like wide letterspacing. Playful and expressive, he created unconventional styles like “sunshine type” and “for-the-people type,” using humor and metaphors to redefine design.
Weingart’s creative exploration extended to collage, leveraging halftone screens and benday films. This groundbreaking approach merged continuous-tone images with text, as seen in his iconic work for the Basel Kunstkredit.
Weingart advocated a holistic approach, engaging designers in all aspects of the process. His ideas assimilated into mainstream graphic design, pushing the boundaries of typographic communication.
In 1972, Weingart’s influence reached the U.S., influencing figures like Dan Friedman, April Greiman, and Willi Kunz, contributing to a new typographic vocabulary.
New Wave Typography emerged in the 1970s amid a cultural rebellion—a rejection of the status quo. Unlike traditional typography, it celebrated chaos, asymmetry, and artistic expression over readability.
New Wave designers fearlessly experimented with scale, color, and composition, turning typography into a visual element. Weingart’s influence persists in contemporary design, seen in letterspaced sans-serif type, bold stair-step rules, diagonal type, weight changes within words, and type reversed from bars.
The legacy of New Wave Typography endures in designers pushing typographic boundaries. Wolfgang Weingart and peers have left an indelible mark, inspiring innovative typography, vibrant compositions, and unconventional approaches.
The evolution of typography is a testament to New Wave Typography’s enduring impact. This movement, with its playful spirit, has reshaped contemporary graphic design. As designers draw inspiration from Weingart and peers, typographic experimentation continues, pushing visual communication boundaries.
