Wolfgang Weingart is the link between classic Swiss typography and contemporary postmodern design. His interest is not in rejecting the basic principles of the Swiss method, but in using them as a point of departure for an exploration into new arenas of experimentation and self-expression. Weingart's influence is through his teaching, and his goal is to guide students in first mastering fundamental principles, and then using them as a flexible vocabulary for limitless ideas and variations. Weingart's unique brand of "fun" typography has had a profound influence on the typographic design of today.


"In the midst of today's rapid technological growth, I try not to forget that new technology will not design for us. I teach, work and live into the future without a preconcieved direction."

Wolfgang Weingart seems to be very future-oriented, in his efforts to equip students with a flexible typographic vocabulary which would prepare them for future challenges, as well as his thoughts about the future of typography itself and the future of design education. This is interesting in the face of Basel's dependence on the tradition of Swiss typography.

Weingart defined three goals for the future of typographic education:

1. The entire concept of typography must be expanded in meaning and range.

2. The substance of typography must be adapted to new information techniques, communication forms, cultural values.

3. Typographic design must be based not only on objectivity but on personal process and self-expression.

Weingart believed that individuals could shape the present and future of typographic design by being "lively, crazy and creative" in their work.

 

Poster design and essay:
Katie Wood
San Jose State University 2000

Sources:
Steven Heller and Karen Pomeroy, "Design Literacy" Watson-Guptill 1997
Armin Hofmann, Introduction to "Projekte/Projects" A. Niggli 1980
Richard Hollis, "Graphic Design: A Concise History" Thames and Hudson 1994
Peter von Komatzki, "Wolfgang Weingart: A Typographic Rebel" Graphis 39 Sept/Oct 1983
Noreen O'Leary, "Wolfgang Weingart" Communication Arts May/June 1998
Wolfgang Weingart, "How can one make Swiss Typography?" Lecture 1972-73
"My Morphologic Type-case" Typography Today Seibundo Shinkosha 1980
"My Typography Instruction at the Basle School of Design, Switzerland, 1968 to 1985" Design Quarterly 130 1985

Acknowledgements:
Thanks to Jim Faris for answering my questions, even though it involved opening cans of worms, and also for providing me with rare source materials.