"Massimo Vignelli Makes Books"
10/05/2013.
[VIDEO] By Pentagram
metalocus, PEDRO NAVARRO
metalocus, PEDRO NAVARRO
The Vignellis’ contributions to design have included everything from book design to furniture design. Whether it's identities for Bloomingdales, United Colors of Benetton, American Airlines, their environmental and product design and one of the most beloved renditions of the New York City Subway map. Today we show to Massimo Vignelli explaining his approach to book design in a video produced for Mohawk's "What Will You Make Today?" campaign. Video design by Michael Bierut/Pentagram.
The opening spread of the journal features a quote by Vignelli from the video and the pages reproduce his grid.
New identity for Mohawk by the Vignelli.
American Airlines identity system, 1967, by the Vignelli.
Metafora. 1979.1 by the Vignelli.
Vignelli Subway map, by the Vignelli.
“The grid is an integral part of book design,” says Massimo Vignelli. “It’s not something that you see. It’s just like underwear: you wear it, but it’s not to be exposed. The grid is the underwear of the book.”
Massimo Vignelli. In 1931 he was born in Milan, he studied architecture in Milan and in Venice. In 1960, before establishing Vignelli Associates in 1971 and Vignelli Designs in 1978 in New York, he opened Studio Vignelli of Design and Architecture in Milan together with Lella Vignelli; in 1965 he was the co-founder as well as the Design Director of the Unimark International Corporation.
His work includes Graphic and Corporate Identity Programs, Publishing Design, Systems of signs, Exhibitions, Furniture and Interiors, Product design for both American and European companies and institutions.
Massimo Vignelli is world renowned for producing a wide range of award-winning designs over the last five decades. Now, Vignelli is sharing his experiences as a book designer to support Mohawk’s “What Will You Make Today?” campaign. In answer to the question, Vignelli has co-developed a limited-edition journal featuring Mohawk paper, and narrates an animated video explaining his grid-centric approach to book design.
