Helvetica: Homage to a Typeface

An ode to the beloved typeface

Helvetica is a sans-serif typeface. It is simple and clean, and commonly seen in advertising, signage, and literature. The R has a curved leg, and the i and j have square dots. The Q has a straight angled tail, and the counterforms inside the O, Q, and C are oval. It is an all-purpose type design that can deliver practically any message clearly and efficiently. It is one of the most popular typefaces of all time. Helvetica: Homage to a Typeface presents 400 examples of Helvetica in action, selected from two diametrically opposed worlds. Superb applications by renowned designers are juxtaposed with an anonymous collection of ugly, ingenious, charming, and hair-raising samples of its use.

Lars Müller was born in 1955 in Oslo. Trained as a graphic designer, he worked briefly in Holland before opening his own studio in Baden, Switzerland in 1982. Since 1996 he has been a partner in the interdisciplinary design group Integral Concept, which has offices in Paris, Milan, and Baden. In 1983, Müller began publishing books on typography, art, photography, industrial design, and architecture. He lectures at the Hoschschule für Gestaltung in Basel.