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.


Classic Swiss typography emphasizes the use of right angled grid structures, use of white space as an active design element, readabilty, and objective communication of information. While Weingart never abandoned these principles, he pushed them into completely new territory with his richly textural posters and playful type experiments, which were expressive and intuitive rather than objective.

Weingart questioned the tendency in classic Swiss typography to present information in a completely objective and "value-free" manner. He pointed out that, in spite of its neutral presentation, most information still has subjective and emotional connotations for the viewer. He believed that since humans have aesthetic and psychological needs, design should communicate based on those needs as well as on rational and logical thought. He said, "there is no reliable definition of what is a reasonable, fair, unmanipulated, message... It is also difficult to explain how such a message can be translated, typographically, and always be effective." Weingart manipulated type to better express meaning and sacrificed pure legibilty for visual interest.