Vier5

Vier5 (stylised VIER5) is a Franco-German design studio whose work centres on the development of new and modern visual languages and their application across visual communication — graphic design, photography, film and content-related acoustic work. The studio is particularly known for the graphic and structural presentation of museums and exhibitions, with a strong emphasis on contemporary typography, comprehensive graphic identities and wayfinding systems. Its approach is interdisciplinary and experimental, often taking social and societal questions as the starting point for design, and more recently incorporating historical and scholarly perspectives into the design process. Vier5 has built a substantial portfolio of cultural-sector commissions. Since 2003 it has been responsible for the long-term graphic identity of the Centre d'art contemporain de Brétigny (CAC Brétigny) in France, designing logos, posters, signage and exhibition systems, and from 2009 to 2014 it was Artist in Residence there. In 2004 it developed a process-based temporary wayfinding system for the Museum für Angewandte Kunst Frankfurt, followed by the logo and finished identity, introducing the typeface Plotter designed in collaboration with Wolfgang Breuer. For documenta 12 (2007) in Kassel it created an experimental wayfinding system including container lettering, signs and a widely produced bottle-cap pin cast from a crown cap found on Friedrichsplatz, and designed the typefaces Linie and Fläche exclusively for the exhibition. In 2011 it created the logo, graphic identity and wayfinding for the 22e Festival International de l'Affiche et du Graphisme de Chaumont in France, using the typeface Lauf. In 2012 it was responsible for the identity of the 6th Busan Biennale in South Korea, and from 2013 to 2018 it designed the logo and graphic presence for the Johann Jacobs Museum in Zurich. In 2014 the studio was appointed to the design team of documenta 14 (2017), responsible for the overall graphic identity of the Athens location, including the exhibition logo, posters and city-wide wayfinding using printed hydrant signs, as well as artist labels printed on textiles and weighted with marble blocks; the typefaces Phonecards, Pueblo and Texte were used, with Greek characters designed for them. In 2016 it handled the identity of the Suzhou Documents art biennale in China, and in 2021 it held a retrospective solo exhibition, "Win a new car", at MACRO in Rome. Beyond its design practice, Vier5 publishes the magazine FAIRY TALE and operates the fashion label DON MARCO. Its work is held in international museum collections including the Bibliothèque nationale de France, the Centre national des arts plastiques, Les Arts Décoratifs, the Museum für Gestaltung in Zurich, the documenta archive in Kassel and Die Neue Sammlung in Munich. In 2013 the studio received the LeadAward as Visual Leader of the Year in the main design category. Vier5 remains an active, privately held studio with a bilingual French-German background and an international cultural client base.

Vier5 is a Franco-German design studio. Its practice is dedicated to the development of new and modern visual languages and their applicability, covering all areas of visual communication such as graphic design, photography and film, as well as acoustics where related to the content of its work. The studio focuses in particular on the graphic and structural external presentation of museums and exhibitions, with a special emphasis on the development and exploration of contemporary typography and its application in comprehensive graphic identities and wayfinding systems. Vier5 places great value on an interdisciplinary and experimental approach; social and societal questions often form the basis and starting point for its designs, and more recently historical and scholarly aspects have been integrated into the design process. A defining long-term relationship began in 2003, when Vier5 became responsible for the graphic identity of the Centre d'art contemporain de Brétigny (CAC Brétigny) in France, designing logos, posters, signage and exhibition systems; from 2009 to 2014 the studio was Artist in Residence at CAC Brétigny. In 2004 it developed a process-based temporary wayfinding system for the Museum für Angewandte Kunst Frankfurt, and only afterwards the logo and finished identity, aiming to make the initial design process transparent and thereby encourage social interaction and dynamics with visitors; the typeface Plotter, designed in collaboration with Wolfgang Breuer, was introduced as the house typeface. For documenta 12 (2007) in Kassel, Vier5 designed an experimental wayfinding system comprising container lettering, signs and simply understandable information and symbols. A key element was a bottle-cap pin: a cast of a crown cap found on Friedrichsplatz in Kassel, produced in high numbers and given out with the admission ticket. Worn inside the exhibition it signalled a current visit; worn later it took on a souvenir character, leading the mind back to the exhibition. The aim was to detach the wayfinding system from the actual place and the limited time frame of the exhibition (100 days) and anchor it immaterially in memory. The typefaces Linie and Fläche were designed and used exclusively for documenta 12. In 2011 Vier5 developed the logo, graphic identity and wayfinding system for the 22e Festival International de l'Affiche et du Graphisme de Chaumont in France, applying above all the typeface Lauf. In 2012 the studio was responsible for the identity of the 6th Busan Biennale in South Korea, themed Garden of Learning, designing various posters and developing communication modules such as the simple wayfinding system Eleven Bottles in workshops. From 2013 to 2018 Vier5 designed the logo and graphic presence for the Johann Jacobs Museum in Zurich, Switzerland. In 2014 the studio was appointed to the design team of documenta 14 (2017). Vier5 was responsible for the overall graphic identity of the exhibition at its Athens location in Greece, designing among other things the exhibition logo, posters and wayfinding systems within the urban area of Athens and for individual venues. Conventional hydrant signs from the German firm Franken Plastik were printed with the necessary information. Another design focus was the artist labels, printed on textiles and laid on the floor, weighted with marble blocks printed with the respective artist's name. The typefaces Phonecards, Pueblo and Texte were used for documenta 14, with Greek characters also designed for them. In 2016 Vier5 handled the identity of the Suzhou Documents art biennale in Suzhou, China. In 2021 the studio held a retrospective solo exhibition of its work at MACRO (Museum for contemporary art of Rome) in Italy, titled Win a new car. Works by Vier5 are held in various international museum collections, including the Bibliothèque nationale de France, the Centre national des arts plastiques, Les Arts Décoratifs, the Museum für Gestaltung in Zurich, the documenta archive in Kassel and Die Neue Sammlung in Munich. In 2013 the studio received the LeadAward as Visual Leader of the Year 2013 in the main design category. The studio also publishes the magazine FAIRY TALE and operates the fashion label DON MARCO.

• 2021

  Retrospective solo exhibition 'Win a new car' at MACRO, Rome.

• 2016

  Handles identity of Suzhou Documents art biennale in Suzhou, China.

• 2014

  Appointed to design team of documenta 14 (2017), responsible for Athens graphic identity.

• 2013

  Receives LeadAward as Visual Leader of the Year 2013 in the main design category.

• 2013

  Begins designing logo and graphic presence for Johann Jacobs Museum, Zurich (until 2018).

• 2012

  Responsible for identity of the 6th Busan Biennale, South Korea.

• 2011

  Creates logo, graphic identity and wayfinding for the 22e Festival International de l'Affiche et du Graphisme de Chaumont, France.

• 2009

  Becomes Artist in Residence at CAC Brétigny (until 2014).

• 2007

  Designs experimental wayfinding system for documenta 12 in Kassel, including bottle-cap pin and typefaces Linie and Fläche.

• 2004

  Develops process-based temporary wayfinding system and identity for Museum für Angewandte Kunst Frankfurt.

• 2003

  Begins long-term graphic identity work for CAC Brétigny, France.

Experimental, interdisciplinary design studio specialising in typography-driven visual identities and wayfinding for cultural institutions.

• FAIRY TALE magazine

  Magazine published by the studio.

• DON MARCO fashion label

  Fashion label operated by the studio.

• Custom typefaces (Plotter, Linie, Fläche, Lauf, Phonecards, Pueblo, Texte)

  Typefaces designed for specific cultural projects.

1. 1VIER5 official websitevier5.de
2. 2Vier5 on Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Vier5 on German Wikipediade.wikipedia.org