Concept, website, logo, and promotional graphics for the Italian graphic design archive.
A promotional image featuring
a detail from a poster designed
in 1964 by Massimo Vignelli.
2016 © Nicola-Matteo Munari
a detail from a poster designed
in 1964 by Massimo Vignelli.
2016 © Nicola-Matteo Munari
The homepage of the archive with
all the artworks mixed together in order of publication.
2015 © Nicola-Matteo Munari
all the artworks mixed together in order of publication.
2015 © Nicola-Matteo Munari
The acronym version of the logo
of Archivio Grafica Italiana.
Ph. © Nicola-Matteo Munari
of Archivio Grafica Italiana.
Ph. © Nicola-Matteo Munari
The contemporary relevance
of historical heritage
Founded in 2015 by Nicola-Matteo Munari, the Archivio Grafica Italiana is the first online archive dedicated to the entire heritage of Italian graphic design.
Through the publication of monographic pages dedicated to projects, designers, firms, and companies the archive promotes the Italian graphic design both enhancing its historical relevance and its contemporary role.
The website of the archive (link) is an appreciated source for students, scholars, and design enthusiasts from all over the world, protecting and promoting this incredible cultural and artistic heritage.
of historical heritage
Founded in 2015 by Nicola-Matteo Munari, the Archivio Grafica Italiana is the first online archive dedicated to the entire heritage of Italian graphic design.
Through the publication of monographic pages dedicated to projects, designers, firms, and companies the archive promotes the Italian graphic design both enhancing its historical relevance and its contemporary role.
The website of the archive (link) is an appreciated source for students, scholars, and design enthusiasts from all over the world, protecting and promoting this incredible cultural and artistic heritage.
Promotional image featuring a detail from a 1950’s advertisement.
2017 © Nicola-Matteo Munari
2017 © Nicola-Matteo Munari
Ph. © Nicola-Matteo Munari
Preliminary sketch of the page dedicated to designers.
2015 © Nicola-Matteo Munari
2015 © Nicola-Matteo Munari
The website of the archive
Designed in 2015 and officially launched in 2016, the website received numerous appreciation from all over the world, especially from students and educators.
The graphic structure of the website is entirely based on a square-module grid, thus producing a rational and functional layout of the contents.
Despite the high number of pages, the website was designed and developed in one week only, without presenting the need of any change in the following years, thus confirming the effectiveness of the website’s design.
Designed in 2015 and officially launched in 2016, the website received numerous appreciation from all over the world, especially from students and educators.
The graphic structure of the website is entirely based on a square-module grid, thus producing a rational and functional layout of the contents.
Despite the high number of pages, the website was designed and developed in one week only, without presenting the need of any change in the following years, thus confirming the effectiveness of the website’s design.
The page dedicated to designers
(up today there are 75 designers that have been published).
2015 © Nicola-Matteo Munari
(up today there are 75 designers that have been published).
2015 © Nicola-Matteo Munari
A detail of a sketch portraying
Franco Grignani (1908-1999).
2015 © Nicola-Matteo Munari
Franco Grignani (1908-1999).
2015 © Nicola-Matteo Munari
From an interview with Studio Pagina
The archival criteria
The works published in the archive are organised by type, year, designer, firm, and client and there is also the possibility to search projects by place, colour, style, theme, etc.
In this way, the website offers multiple ways of exploring and searching the contents.
The works published in the archive are organised by type, year, designer, firm, and client and there is also the possibility to search projects by place, colour, style, theme, etc.
In this way, the website offers multiple ways of exploring and searching the contents.
A square-module grid is consistently used in the website.
Ph. © Nicola-Matteo Munari
Ph. © Nicola-Matteo Munari
The page dedicated to the trademarks, displayed
in a chronological order.
2015 © Nicola-Matteo Munari
in a chronological order.
2015 © Nicola-Matteo Munari
The cultural proposition
Contrary to the so called ‘inspirational websites’, the cultural proposition of the Archivio Grafica Italiana is also expressed in the original texts that introduce each work.
In addition to texts, which are all written specifically for the website, many images are also unseen on the internet.
Thanks to a thorough research work, the archive gives light to unknown projects and unsung designers such as Pegge Hopper, Aldo Calabresi, René Martinelli, Pino Milàs, Costantino Nivola, and others, celebrating their talent and creativity.
Contrary to the so called ‘inspirational websites’, the cultural proposition of the Archivio Grafica Italiana is also expressed in the original texts that introduce each work.
In addition to texts, which are all written specifically for the website, many images are also unseen on the internet.
Thanks to a thorough research work, the archive gives light to unknown projects and unsung designers such as Pegge Hopper, Aldo Calabresi, René Martinelli, Pino Milàs, Costantino Nivola, and others, celebrating their talent and creativity.
Ph. © Nicola-Matteo Munari
Preliminary layout sketch
of the homepage.
2015 © Nicola-Matteo Munari
of the homepage.
2015 © Nicola-Matteo Munari
A growing archive
To this day, the archive gathers more than 300 projects, 70 designers, and 1.500 images offering a growing overview that goes from 1930s up today.
Since its launch, the website has reached 100.000 users, while its Facebook page reached 225.000 people in one day only.
Archivio Grafica Italiana has also been the subject of lessons at SCAD Hong Kong, LABA of Brescia and it has been published in magazines (Internazionale, White), blogs (BrandNew, Curbed, Design Playground, FastCo.), and within academic studies.
Client
Nicola-Matteo Munari
Design
Nicola-Matteo Munari
Collaborators
Alberto Arlandi
Greta Bussandri
Year
2015-17
To this day, the archive gathers more than 300 projects, 70 designers, and 1.500 images offering a growing overview that goes from 1930s up today.
Since its launch, the website has reached 100.000 users, while its Facebook page reached 225.000 people in one day only.
Archivio Grafica Italiana has also been the subject of lessons at SCAD Hong Kong, LABA of Brescia and it has been published in magazines (Internazionale, White), blogs (BrandNew, Curbed, Design Playground, FastCo.), and within academic studies.
Nicola-Matteo Munari
Nicola-Matteo Munari
Alberto Arlandi
Greta Bussandri
2015-17