Design is One

Massimo Vignelli’s lecture took audience members on a visual journey through works done by Vignelli and his wife. In his visual presentations, he provides a clear definition of graphic design and its artistic mission. Whether through the plurality of typefaces or the simplicity of shapes, Vignelli establishes design as the ultimate marriage between visual innovation and functionality. According to Vignelli, design is “the organization of info that is semantically correct, syntactically consistent, and pragmatically understandable.” By presenting examples of his work from as early as 1964, Vignelli made it clear that the essence of great graphic design lies in simplicity and balance. A design should capture visual intent yet appear seamless. I also appreciated the emphasis he placed on details (i.e. the slide presented of the American Flag he designed using newspaper clippings from different countries).

As a person interested in web design, I definitely see connections between Vignelli’s lecture and web design/coding. His emphasis on “detail” as well as “balance” are applicable to understanding the structure and design of an effective web site. Based on Vignelli’s definition of graphic design, web pages that clutter computer screens with distracting typefaces, excessive flash elements, and distracting graphics should be banished from the internet. He makes it clear that in their simplest forms, “the greatest designs should be invisible.” This idea of “invisible design” applies to the userability of web pages as well. I’ve noticed that the best web designs don’t distract users but rather improve an experience and yield functionality. In this sense, although Vignelli’s presentation addressed issues of graphic design from previous years, the artistic principles (simplicity, balance, detail , etc.) his work embodies remain timeless and relevant.