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book (design) story #307

peter meyer:
moderne schweizer architektur

verlag dr. h. girsberger & cie., zürich, 1928
printer: buchdruckerei winterthur vormals g. binkert
size: 24 x 17 cm
designer: walter cyliax (attributed)

peter meyer (1894–1984) wrote many articles on (modern) architecture in the 1920s and 1930s, notably in the swiss werkbund magazine "die form" where he was an editor.

however meyer's enthusiasm for radical modernism was only moderate, and his criticism of le corbusier in "das werk" prompted protests by readers who endorsed the avant-garde.

this 1928 book on "modern swiss architecture", published by hans girsberger who specialised in books on modern architecture (see e.g. stories 52, 141), is a remarkably early example of new typography in switzerland.

note the asymmetric titles in sans-serif capitals on the cover, spine and inner pages.

mixing of bold sans-serif and bodoni-style (didone/modern) typefaces.

examples include houses by paul artaria & hans schmidt (above), and le corbusier's small house at the lake geneva (below).

although the photos are set centred, the captions aren't.

above interior designs by wilhelm kienzle.

below an ad for another book by the same author.

i finally found a copy with a photomontage dustjacket, most likely designed by walter cyliax (1899-1945), although hans girsberger doesn't credit cyliax for this design in his 1970 memoirs "stationen".