Join the Mailing List

Membership

Graphic Design History from Design Reviewed
Wim Crouwel - Dutch Graphic Designer

Weg. Verdwenen, Drukkerij W.C. den Ouden, Amsterdam, 1961

,

Information

Details

  • Format: Exhibition Catalogue
  • Designer/s: Wim Crouwel
  • Year: 1961
  • Client/Publisher: Drukkerij W.C. den Ouden, Amsterdam
  • Size: 230mm x 230mm
Willem Hendrik Crouwel was born in 1928 in Groningen, Netherlands. He studied at the Academy of Arts and Crafts in Groningen and took evening classes at the Institute of Arts and Crafts, now the Rietveld Academy. His teacher, Charles Jongejans, was trained by notable Dutch designers Paul Schuitema and Gerard Kiljan. In 1952, Crouwel began his design career at Enderberg, designing exhibitions and trade stands, gaining valuable experience. After leaving Enderberg in 1956, he founded a studio with industrial designer Kho Liang Ie, working on various projects across design disciplines, including graphic and exhibition design. Influenced by mid-century Swiss typography, Crouwel explored letterforms and graphic systems, using fonts like Helvetica and Univers. His early clients included the Van Abbe Museum, where he designed catalogues and posters. In 1963, he co-founded the influential design agency Total Design and also started working for the Stedelijk Museum, collaborating with Edy de Wilde until 1986.

Linked Information

Weg. Verdwenen, Drukkerij W.C. den Ouden, Amsterdam, 1961 designed by Wim Crouwel
Weg. Verdwenen, Drukkerij W.C. den Ouden, Amsterdam, 1961 designed by Wim Crouwel
Willem Hendrik Crouwel was born in 1928 in Groningen, Netherlands. He studied at the Academy of Arts and Crafts in Groningen and took evening classes at the Institute of Arts and Crafts, now the Rietveld Academy. His teacher, Charles Jongejans, was trained by notable Dutch designers Paul Schuitema and Gerard Kiljan. In 1952, Crouwel began his design career at Enderberg, designing exhibitions and trade stands, gaining valuable experience. After leaving Enderberg in 1956, he founded a studio with industrial designer Kho Liang Ie, working on various projects across design disciplines, including graphic and exhibition design. Influenced by mid-century Swiss typography, Crouwel explored letterforms and graphic systems, using fonts like Helvetica and Univers. His early clients included the Van Abbe Museum, where he designed catalogues and posters. In 1963, he co-founded the influential design agency Total Design and also started working for the Stedelijk Museum, collaborating with Edy de Wilde until 1986.
More graphic design artefacts
Graphis 224, 1983. Cover design by Michel Dubré
From the design archive:

Graphis 224, 1983

  • Format: Magazine
  • Designer/s: Michel Dubré
  • Year: 1983
View Artefact
Design, Council of Industrial Design, 236, August 1968. Cover by Sam Lambert
From the design archive:

Design, Council of Industrial Design, 236, August 1968

  • Format: Magazine
  • Designer/s: Sam Lambert
  • Year: 1968
View Artefact
Breite Fette Grotesk, Bauersche Giesserei
From the design archive:

Breite Fette Grotesk, Bauersche Giesserei, Type Specimen

  • Format: Type Specimen
View Artefact
Industrial Design, May, 1969
From the design archive:

Industrial Design, May, 1969

  • Format: Magazine
  • Year: 1969
View Artefact

view more of the graphic design archive

More graphic design history articles
The Student Work of The Polytechnic School of Printing, London, 1910
  • Design Archive Feature

Student Work (1907 – 1910) from The Polytechnic School of Printing, London

I came across two sample books containing printed examples of the work executed by the students in the Composing and Machine Departments of the Polytechnic School of Printing, between 1907 and 1910. I couldn't resist adding these to the archive.

Members Content

pintori-olivetti
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

Giovanni Pintori and his definitive visual language for Olivetti

Giovanni began his work with Olivetti in March 1938, and his work was showcased in various exhibitions and had a clear distinctive style that amplified the Olivetti brand image. His design defined the company’s visual image, and the iconic geometric designs are still as powerful and engaging today as they were in the 1950s.

Members Content

Wolfgang Weingart - Pioneer of Swiss New Wave
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

Wolfgang Weingart – Pioneer of Swiss New Wave

Wolfgang Weingart's artistic design delved into the intricacies of Swiss typography, skillfully dissecting its elements while venturing into texture and type experimentation. His layered montages radiated dynamic kinetic energy, standing in stark contrast to the minimalist approach of his instructors, embracing a more maximalist aesthetic.

Members Content

Genossenschaft USOGAS Zürich designed by Donald Brun, Basel, 1956
  • Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content

Swiss Posters from the 1956 Best Poster Award (Die besten Plakate des Jahres 1956)

The best poster designs from Die besten Plakate des Jahres 1956 with a translated foreword by Jakob Rudolf Welti. Featuring the work of Herbert Leupin, Carl B. Graf, Carlo Vivarelli and Emil Ruder.