Massimo Vignelli

1931–

“If you can design one thing,you can design everything”

–Massimo Vignelli

Massimo Vignelli:interior designer

environmental designerpackage designergraphic designerfurniture designerpackage designer

GENIUS level designer

Massimo was born in Milan in 1931. He studied architecture in Milan and Vince. He then moved to NYC to start a company with

his wife Lella.

Massimo is known for his genious knowledge of

typography. He was recently featured in the independent

documentary film “Helvetica.”

HELVETICA

examples of helvetica.

Massimo was influenced by the Modernist period.He stuck firmly to

their design principles. Modernists

stood for simplicity through basic

geometric shapes.

Vignelli is a fairly new designer, but he has already made a huge mark on

society and has influenced generations of designers. From his generation in

the 70’s, to the current designers and for many generations to come.

Massimo Vignelli’s design style is

clean

The American Airlines logo is Massimo Vignelli’s most famous logo. It is simple, clean

and timeless.

Furniture Design: Lamps

more furniture designs

stillmorefurniture

Massimo dish set

pitchers and flatware

Notice Massimo Vignelli’s w i d e

variety of design.

He still does more...

he does interior design too!

St. Peter’s ChurchA room with a table.

(notice beautiful ceiling)

corporate identity and manuals

and still more....Package Design

He designed Bloomindales and Saks 5th Avenue

bags.

NYC street signage

Posters

Knoll Furniture Design poster

and he did maps too.

and watches...

and my favorite...The Stendig Calender

Designed in 1966, this popular still sells out every year!

(i have one in my apartment and it looks amazing. it’s 4 feet wide by about 3 feet tall)

Design is Oneby Massimo and Lella Vignelli

All of Massimo’s designs reflect on his philosophies on design

and also his life.

He believed that a good designer should be able to

design anything.

He follows through when you see the wide variety of

everything he does.

Massimo Vignelli now gives many lectures to school and to groups all over the world

about his design.

I like design to besemantically correct,syntactically consistent, and pragmatically understandable.

I like to be visually powerful,intellectually elegant, and above all timeless

–Massimo Vignelli

Among Vignelli’s many Awards:1982 New York Art Directors Club Hall of Fame1983 AIGA Gold Medal1985 Presidential Design Award (given by Ronald Regan)1993 New York State Governor's Award of Excellence2004 Visionary Award from the Museum and Art and Design, NYC

Honorary Doctorates:Parsons School of DesignRISDEPrat Institute

He was also given a fellowship from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago Illinois.

thanks for watching,

Katherine Davis

Resources:“Design is One” Lella and Massimo Vignelli. Images Publishing. NYC 2006.

www.vignelli.com/

www.aiga.org/content.cfm/medalist-massimoandlellavignelli

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massimo_Vignelli

www.designboom.com/eng/interview/vignelli.html

www.designaddict.com/index.cfm