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.
Designed in 1957 by Max Miedinger for the Haas foundry in Switzerland, Haas Grotesk, as the type was originally called, was based on the grotesques of the late-19th century but given new refinements that put it in the sans serif sub-category of neo-grotesque. The 1960s saw the typeface renamed Helvetica (for Helvetia, is Switzerland's Latin name) and introduced to the United States. Today, Helvetica is popular again, used by young designers for posters and party flyers. The book is Lars Muller's hommage to this icon of modern design, an icon which he favors in his own work.
