History

Ernest Beck|Report

Hard Times for Hard Copy

Why AIGA almost scuttled its most venerable design competition: 50 Books/50 Cover.

Phil Patton|Report

Sustainable Gold

Phil Patton on the conference “Gold: Substance, Symbol and Significance."

Alexandra Lange|Essays

Making the Modern House Home

The Miller House, designed by Saarinen, Roche, Girard and Kiley, has been largely out of sight to the design world since its publication in House & Garden in 1959. Until now that is...

Rick Poynor|Essays

Starowieyski’s Graphic Universe of Excess

In Franciszek Starowieyski’s posters, desire, sexuality, monstrosity, madness and death conjoin in some of the most outrageous images found in graphic design.

Phil Patton|Essays

On the Shoulders of Rebels

On the rocket-propelled grenade: one of the most successful designs on the planet.

Rick Poynor|Essays

Wim Crouwel: The Ghost in the Machine

Far from suppressing his own creative personality in the way he advised, Wim Crouwel was expressing it to the full.

Julie Lasky|Report

Chandigarh on the Block

Furnishings designed for Corbusier's urban masterpiece are being sold at auction. How outraged should we be?

Rick Poynor|Essays

An Unknown Master of Poster Design

Karel Teissig might just be the best poster designer you have never heard of.

Alexandra Lange|Essays

Something Old, Something Green

The Ball jar: could this be our classless package?

Steven Heller|Essays

Hitler’s Poster Handbook

Hitler’s Poster Handbook: a follow-up to “The Master Race’s Graphic Masterpiece.”

Steven Heller|Essays

The Master Race’s Graphic Masterpiece

Steve Heller hunts down a Nazi graphics standards manual – it had been right under his nose all the whole time.

Jessica Helfand|Essays

When Do We Call it Art?

Back in the pre-Banksy days of big cars and even bigger hair, there came a cultural moment noted for its prevalence of large-scaled words and symbols, a comparatively brazen visual trope that flirted with modernity by celebrating …