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Lella and Massimo Vignelli: Icons of Modernist Design
Image from AIGA.
Page Overview
Who is Massimo Vignelli?
Born in Milan, Italy, in 1931, Massimo Vignelli knew he wanted to be a designer and architect since he was 14. He studied architecture at Politecnico di Milano and Universita di Architettura, Venice. From 1957-1960, Massimo Vignelli was in America on a fellowship from Towle Silversmiths, Massachusetts and the Institute of Design, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago. After this short stint in America, he returned to Milan to establish the Vignelli Office of Design and Architecture in 1960.In 1965, Massimo Vignelli with Bob Noorda and Jay Doblin formed Unimark International, what would become one of the world's largest design firms. The firm focused on designing and redesigning corporate identities, among other things. However, the company only lasted 13 years. With wife Lella Vignelli, he later formed Vignelli Associates in 1971 and Vignelli Designs in 1978.
Massimo and Lella Vignelli are known for working as a team with Massimo focusing on 2D and Lella designing the 3D -- He's the visionary: "I talk of feelings, possibilities, what a design could be." She's the realist: "I think of feasibility, planning, what a design can be."
Awards:
- 2005, Architecture Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, NY.
- 2004, the Visionary Award from the Museum of Art and Design, New York.
- 2003, the National Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Museum of Design at Cooper-Hewitt, New York.
- 1996, Honorary Royal Designer for Industry Award, Royal Society of Arts, London.
- 1995, the Brooklyn Museum Design Award for Lifetime Achievement.
- 1993, New York State Governor's Award for Excellence.
- 1992, Interior Product Designers Fellowship of Excellence.
- 1991, National Arts Club Gold Medal for Design.
- 1988, Interior Design Hall of Fame.
- 1985, first Presidential Design Award, presented by President Ronald Reagan, for the National Park Service Publications Program.
- 1983, AlGA Gold Medal.
- 1982, New York Art Directors Club Hall of Fame.
- 1973, American Institute of Architects (AIA) Industrial Arts Medal.
- 1964, 1998 Compasso d'Oro from Italian Association for Industrial Design (ADI).
- 1964, Gran Premio Triennale di Milano.
Image from Publicolor.
Massimo Vignelli
Learn from the past, think of the present, dream of the future.
See Massimo Vignelli in Helvetica
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Helvetica Movie and Typeface
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Movie: Documentary film by Gary Hustwit. Released in the US on September 12, 2007. A feature film about typography, graphic design, and global visual culture all held together by the typeface Helvetica and featuring interviews with some of the greate...
Learn about Lella Vignelli
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Lella Vignelli
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Lella Vignelli is one half of the Modernist Design power-couple. Massimo Vignelli and Lella Vignelli may be the ultimate designers of all time. They have designed virtually everything from maps and logos to furniture and tableware. Their artistic sty...
Books on the Vignellis
Vignelli From A to Z
Beginning with the intriguing 'A for Ambiguity', it continues through the alphabet, describing their approach to subjects as diverse as book design, discipline, furniture, garment design, interior design and lighting, newspapers, packaging and typography.
Amazon Price: $31.50 (as of 12/07/2009) 
Lella and Massimo Vignelli (International Graphic Design)
Vignelli is a powerful name in graphic design. Lella and Massimo Vignelli prove that design should be semantically correct, syntactically correct, and pragmatically understandable, but also visually powerful, intellectually elegant and timeless.
Amazon Price: $20.90 (as of 12/07/2009)
Hear the Vignellis Talk About Design
Recent News on the Massimo Vignelli
- Good Reggio Emilia 50x70
- ... Armando Milani (Italia), Woody Pirtle (USA), Fukuda Shigeo (Giappone), Massimo Vignelli (USA) e Lourdes Zolezzi (Messico) Marjane Satrapi (Turchia). ...
- Bombay Sapphire e MVRDV, una storia di gusto e design
- Dopo il successo dell'Happening primaverile a Milano, con Massimo Vignelli, è il turno di Roma con MVRDV, lo studio più influente nell'evoluzione ...
- Design Indaba – A better world through creativity
- ... Shigeru Ban, Naoto Fukusawa, Javier Mariscal, Brian Eno, Massimo Vignelli, Yves Béhar, Jaime Hayon, Ferran Adrià, Marcel Wanders und viele mehr. ...
Are you a Modernist?
Vignelli Associates
1972 New York City Subway Map
Vignelli's designs can be seen all over New York City but nowhere is it more prominent than the New York Subway system. The clear, bold signs are classic Massimo. His 1972 subway map was a revolution of sorts, modeled after the style of London's subway map, with colors representing the lines, and everything ordered to right angles and 45 degrees. Find this iconic, out of print, graphic design original here.
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Updated 1972 New York City Subway Map
After the success of the movie Helvetica, Men's Vogue approached Massimo Vignelli about updating his 1972 subway map for the May 2008 design issue. While a portion of the map was provided for free in the May 2008 issue, 500 limited edition signed prints of the full map were instantly sold out at the Conde Nast on May 1, 2008. Today, your best bet is to find it on eBay.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byVignelli Designs
Wrist Watches
Find the white Pierre Junod watch and the black Pierre Junod watch, both designed by Lella and Massimo Vignelli.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byClassic Chairs
The Vignelli Knoll Handkerchief Stacking Chair is a design classic. Their Heller Chair is also extremely elegant as well as functional. The gray Vignelli Cube is the newest classic. These chairs are must-haves for an Modern interior.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byElegant Tables
The Knoll Paperclip Table is an oft cited Vignelli classic. Another popular table is the Acerbis Cresco Table, though Vignelli Designs has created several more notable tables.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byModern Tableware
Vignelli Designs created a very popular line of dinnerware with Heller. The bold colors and shapes of the platters, bowls, and mugs make them timeless representations of Modernism.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byFind More Vignelli Designs Products
- Buy the Stendig Calendar from Unica Home
- The Stendig calendar, designed in 1966, is instantly recognizable.
- Pierre Junod Watches from Quest O Design
- Beautiful watch designs with both single and dual times.
- Full List of Vignelli Products from Unica Home
- Cabinets, calendars, chairs, tables, pens, books, cufflinks, and more.
- Dinnerware from Design Within Reach
- Classic Heller dinnerware set.
- Tables and Chairs from Heller
- Find the Handkerchief Stacking Chair and Paperclip Table.
- Vignelli Collection from Adirondack Furniture
- Get the full Vignelli collection with the cube, low table, and bench.
Vignelli Designs
If you can't find it, design it.
Links about Massimo Vignelli
- Official Homepage of Vignelli Associates
- I like design to be semantically correct, syntactically consistent, and pragmatically understandable.
- Massimo Vignelli on Wikipedia
- Massimo Vignelli (born 1931) is a designer who has done work in a number of areas ranging from package design to furniture design to public signage to showroom design through Vignelli Associates, which he co-founded with his wife Lella.
- Interview with Designboom
- Designboom interviewed Massimo Vignelli on May 21st, 2006.
- Article on the Vignellis by New York Home Design
- In an instant, their pared-down designs-for the subway, Bloomingdale's, American Airlines-conjure a particular moment in the city's history. Massimo and Lella Vignelli have a saying: "If you can't find it, design it." And it's not just a saying.
- Massimo and Lella Vignelli Win AIGA Medal
- The Vignellis, Massimo and Lella, stand at the peak of their profession. During the past 20 years, their design output has been prodigious in quantity, far-ranging in media and scope and consistent in excellence.
Are you in awe of Massimo Vignelli?
Leave your thoughts here. We would love to hear which of their designs you like best, what you own, and what you wish you did. Share your opinions on Modernism, graphic design, and product design.
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