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Graphic Design History from Design Reviewed
Wim Crouwel

Wim Crouwel – Gerrit Noordzij Prize, Uitgeverij De Buitenkant, 2012

‘On the occasion of the The Gerrit Noordzij Prize, Royal Academy of Art (KABK) in The Hague published the book on the work of Wim Crouwel (1928). The Prize is given every three years to type designers and typographers for extraordinary contributions to the fields of type design, typography and type education.
The book focuses on Crouwel’s typographic work, and presents in detail his typefaces and process sketches. Crouwel is known for his systematic and ordered approach to design, and book includes transcripts of two of his lectures. The book includes previously published and new contributions by Ben Bos, Tony Brook, Tobias Frere-Jones, Karel Martens and David Quay.’

Details

  • Format Book
  • Designer/s Wim Crouwel, David Quay (Book Design)
  • Year 2012
  • Client/Publisher De Buitenkant
  • Size 165mm x 240mm
Wim Crouwel, David Quay (Book Design)
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. Explore the Design Reviewed archive to discover artefacts connected to Wim Crouwel. The Dutch Modernism movement collection showcases the visual culture he helped define, while the Netherlands archive reflects the broader design scene he worked within. Browse the 1960s and 1970s decade pages to see the period in which his most influential work was produced, or explore the poster format collection to find work that shares his commitment to grid-based typographic clarity.

Linked Information

Wim Crouwel - Gerrit Noordzij Prize, Uitgeverij De Buitenkant, 2012
Wim Crouwel – Gerrit Noordzij Prize, Uitgeverij De Buitenkant, 2012
On the occasion of the The Gerrit Noordzij Prize, Royal Academy of Art (KABK) in The Hague published the book on the work of Wim Crouwel (1928).
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Vormgeving – door wie?, 1973

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Vormgeving – door wie?, 1973

  • Format: Publication
  • Designer/s: Wim Crouwel
  • Year: 1973
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Nederlandsch muziekfeest 1935, Concertgebouw, 1935

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Nederlandsch muziekfeest 1935, Concertgebouw, 1935

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  • Year: 1935
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Wilhelm Wagenfeld, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, 1963

From the graphic design archive:

Wilhelm Wagenfeld, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, 1963

  • Format: Exhibition Catalogue
  • Year: 1963
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Voorbeelden van Moderne Opschriften voor decoratieschilders (Stefan Schlesinger), De Veluwe, 1939

From the graphic design archive:

Voorbeelden van Moderne Opschriften voor decoratieschilders (Stefan Schlesinger), De Veluwe, 1939

  • Format: Book/Catalogue (Spiral Bound)
  • Designer/s: Stefan Schlesinger
  • Year: 1939
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