The International Typographic Style—born in 1950s Switzerland—revolutionized how we think about clarity in visual communication. This collection celebrates that legacy: mathematical grids, negative space that speaks volumes, and typography that does the heavy lifting. From Shigeo Fukuda's optical illusions to contemporary album art reimagined through Basel's lens, these pieces prove that restraint is its own form of expression. Less isn't just more—it's everything.
Shigeo Fukuda was a master of optical illusion. This 1975 exhibition poster—the legs flip between pointing up and down depending on how you look at them, high heels creating a mesmerizing rhythm. Black and white, no gimmicks, just visual wit executed perfectly. One of the greats of Japanese graphic design.
by DoomsdayLLC
Three wavy bacon strips rendered in that red-tan gradient, Swiss typography below with Japanese translation. Mid-century meets kawaii. The cream background and retro aesthetic work so well together. Part of a series of minimalist breakfast posters—Dieter Rams if he really loved brunch.
by Devin Sager
Swiss Ritual is one of my favorite ongoing design projects—Devin Sager reimagines album covers through Swiss minimalism. This take on Modest Mouse's 2015 album strips away everything except concentric rounded-corner lines creating an organic pill shape. Burgundy and white. Like the album cover went to Basel and came back all refined.
by sid766
White dots warping and bending on black creates an almost physical sensation—like space getting pulled and twisted. Classic op art with digital precision. The twisted grid makes your eyes focus on the center void where everything converges.
Two fuzzy gradient spheres meeting in the middle, yellow glow where they touch. Sunrise crossed with pharmaceutical aesthetics. Maro Invention makes digital gradients feel tactile—reminds me of 80s airbrushed album covers but more refined. The vertical text adds Swiss rigor to balance the organic blur.
by Unknown
Alternative poster for Ex Machina. The mesh over the profile creates a visual metaphor for Ava's synthetic nature—human form, mechanical reality. That coral red is bold and unsettling. Custom typography with geometric letterforms fits the futuristic aesthetic.
Pangram Pangram consistently delivers typefaces that make designers weak in the knees. Neue Montreal Mono takes their beloved geometric sans and gives it that monospace treatment perfect for code editors and terminal UIs. The ligatures are chef's kiss, the character set is extensive... it's basically the font I wish existed when I was learning to code. Developer tools deserve beautiful typography too.
by Geoff McFetridge
Geoff McFetridge is a living legend. His minimalist approach strips everything down to its essence—just enough lines to suggest a whole world. The black and white palette, the confident strokes, the way he captures gesture with such economy... it's the kind of work that looks simple until you try to do it yourself. Then you realize it's genius.