A forthcoming two volume, 1,600 page opus Olympic Games–The Design (Niggli), is the first book with a complete overview of the history of the design of the Olympic Games as detailed chronological summary on printed matter, emblems, logos, colors, typefaces, pictograms, mascots, design manuals, etc.
Olympic historian and collector Markus Osterwalder gathered around 6,500 images in two volumes that take designers, sports and aesthetics enthusiasts through a journey from the Athens 1896 to Tokyo 2020 showcasing the development of the corporate identity of the Games.
Reissuing History
In concert with this book Niggli is going to publish the reissue of the design manual by design pioneer Otl Aicher. In the U.S. and China, this publication will be only available during a Kickstarter campaign in other countries also in retail stores.
The guidelines of the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich encapsulate a defining moment in 20th-century graphic design history. As the core of one of the most famous visual identities of the Games, they set new standards for branding and corporate identity and are still a main source for similar events. “We got one of the rare copies from a private archive in Switzerland. Now, we will make the identity manual available to everyone,” state its editors. The first reprint ever of the hardcover ring binder with 22 foldout sheets, that respects the original style and size of 22.5 x 31 cm, will be printed in Italy. The publication is officially licensed by the International Olympic Committee.
Otl Aicher, founder of the Ulm School of Design (HfG), was commissioned to design the Games with a “lovingly festive setting at a high artistic level.” Under his direction a visual grammar was created that was minimalist, clearly functional and characterized by a timeless, international style. It resulted from the conviction to distill ideology, language and aesthetics to its essentials.
