In 1957, Swiss typographer Max Miedinger created the typeface Haas Grotesk. Renamed Helvetica in 1960, Miedinger's typeface became one of the world’s most-used typefaces. Embodying the myth of the Neue Sachlichkeit (New Objectivity), propagated at the time by Swiss Typography, this sturdy typeface—“the shift-worker and solo entertainer of typefaces”—has marched towards ubiquitous triumph. This thick little tome brings together graphic design by well-known designers and anonymous amateurs from around the world, showcasing a panoply of applications, from classic modernist posters to ugly, ingenious, charming, and even hair-raising samples of Helvetica in use. Helvetica is not only the preferred typeface of leading professionals, it is also an all-time favorite among the multitude of codes and signals and commands that enliven urban life.

Quotes about Helvetica accompany many of the instances of professional design, while the photographic documentation of Helvetica in use around the world has been geographically identified.

Includes a short text, “Homage to a Typeface,” by Lars Müller.

Designed by Integral Lars Müller

Published by Lars Müller Publishers

256 pages, 400 color images, 4.75 × 6.25 inches

ISBN: 978-3-03778-046-6