Late modernism

Massimo Vignelli

Massimo Vignelli (1931-2014) was the foremost designer from the very late International Style or Modernist movement. Originally training as an architect, he was famous for saying “if you can design one thing, you can design everything”. He was a staunch supporter of the rational style and objectivity of the Russian Constructivists. He had a profound effect on corporate identity design in the US from the late 1960s.
He and 5 others set up Unimark International in 1965. It expanded rapidly and had several offices across the US and Europe. He is credited as main influencer in Helvetica being the most popular typeface of the International Style.

His most famous work was to redesign the NYC subway map in 1972. He was heavily influenced by the UK's London Underground map.

Along with Bob Noorda, Vignelli created the information graphics for the NYC subway (below).

In 1967 Vignelli designed the corporate identity for American Airlines which is still in use today.

Design Sponge has the following to say: One of the most well-known designers to popularize the “grid” technique of graphic design, the idea of structure informed much of his life’s work. Vignelli believed that design should be functional above all, following a strict stylistic guideline of grid marks, primary colors and typographic classics.

Referenceshttp://www.vignelli.com
http://www.nycsubway.org/wiki/Historical_Maps