First typography symposium takes place

Does Swiss typography still exist? And what is typically Swiss about today's typography? International type designers at Tÿpo St. Gallen addressed these questions.

Editorial - November 24, 2011

"It is typical of the city of St. Gallen and also typical of GBS to organize an event like Tÿpo St. Gallen". With these words, Monica Sittaro, Vice Rector of the GBS St. Gallen, opened the first Typography Symposium, which took place from November 18 to 20, 2011 at the Gewerbliches Berufs- und Weiterbildungszentrum St. Gallen. Around 450 participants attended the event and listened attentively to the presentations by 13 typography luminaries, as detailed in a press release. In addition to the Swiss book designer and typographer Jost Hochuli, other well-known names such as Bruno Monguzzi, Gerrit Noordzij, Ralph Schraivogel and Tina Roth Eisenberg aka Swissmiss were also present.

Tÿpish Switzerland

And what is typical of Swiss typography? Martin Tiefenthaler, graphic designer, theorist and co-founder of the Typografische Gesellschaft Austria, stated in his contribution that it is typically Swiss to even ask this question. As part of Tÿpo St. Gallen, the German Forum Typografie was also a guest in Switzerland on the occasion of its 25th national meeting. Andreas Maxbauer, Chairman of the Forum
Typografie Deutschland responded to this question: "Swiss typography is above all a generic term. The genre in which the greatest ornamentation is the addition of a second color". And in a conversation after the event with St. Gallen designer Jost Hochuli, he explained that the term Swiss typography is actually misleading. In the 1930s to 1960s, it was mainly people from German-speaking Switzerland who represented this ideology. When asked whether Swiss typography still exists today, he replies: "Basically, we are still moving in this direction. Almost everything I have done is inconceivable without Swiss typography".

To be continued

For Thomas Gerig, Head of Department at the St. Gallen School of Design, the event was a complete success. "We were overwhelmed by the great interest and lively participation at Tÿpo St. Gallen. We have already received a lot of positive feedback from the participants". So what got off to a successful start this year could well be repeated. It has not yet been decided when the next Typography Symposium will take place. What is certain, however, is that the organizing school of design already has ideas for a possible next event.