No Style. Ernst Keller (1891–1968)
Cover of the English edition
In various different places, particularly in the USA, when writing the history of graphic design, Ernst Keller is referred to as the father of Swiss Style, later International Typographic Style. This is down to the large number of Keller students, who later shaped this Swiss Style and made it famous. Keller’s achievement is shown purely using his oeuvre, primarily his poster designs and his work on lettering and graphic design in architecture.
Edited by Peter Vetter, Katharina Leuenberger, Meike Eckstein. Published by Triest in English and German editions.
No Style. Ernst Keller (1891–1968) – Teacher and Pioneer of the Swiss Style
Kein Stil. Ernst Keller (1891–1968) – Lehrer und Pionier des Swiss Style
254 pages, 20 × 24,5 cm
527 images, softcover with flaps
Book spread. In 1933, Ernst Keller created lettering for the signage of the building that housed the Zurich Museum and School for Arts and Crafts (today Zurich University of the Arts, ZHdK). This formed the basis for the digital Rektorat typeface by Nouvelle Noire.
Book spread. During a renovation in 2001, the original letterings were discovered hidden behind some wallpaper (far left). With students, Rudolf Barmettler traced parts of the characters, refining and fully redrawing them in ink. This eventually led to Rektorat (right), a digital reinterpretation made by Barmettler together with Anton Studer, which is also used for the restored wayfinding system (left, 2017).
Cover of the German edition
