A passion for symbols: tracing the inspirations behind the design and production of Henry Dreyfuss’ Symbol Sourcebook
Perks, Sue (2022) A passion for symbols: tracing the inspirations behind the design and production of Henry Dreyfuss’ Symbol Sourcebook. In: 8th International Conference on Typography & Visual Communication (ICTVC) 2022, 6-9 July 2022, Thessaloniki, Greece. (Unpublished)
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Jorge Frascara stated ‘the design of the design method and the design of the research method are tasks of a higher order than the design of the communications’ – this is certainly true of Henry Dreyfuss’ 1972 Symbol Sourcebook project. This paper describes the method that enabled Dreyfuss to finally design and deliver his ambitious project in just two years from 1970-72, recounting the inspirations, triumphs, tribulations and teamwork that brought the project to fruition.
The paper draws on research from the Henry Dreyfuss Symbol Sourcebook archive at the Cooper Hewitt in New York. As someone with a fascination for archives, it has been a revelation to sift through the 26 boxes of working papers that document the method behind the publishing of the book, which casts a light on a rich vein of graphic design history from the late 1960s to the early 1970s. I uncovered surprising connections, sourced from Dreyfuss’ long and illustrious career as an industrial designer spanning over 5 decades of the 20th century. I observed the incredible network he built over his lifetime (1904-1972) populated by eminent international designers. Dreyfuss didn’t undertake the project alone – it was underpinned by a body of knowledge gleaned from the best symbol designers and design consultants of the time and assembled by a loyal team of tight-knit designers, managers and administrators. The design process starting with funding, administration, collection, classification and collation and culminated with the design, publicity and production of the book, all evidenced through the archived working papers. Above all, the archive shows Dreyfuss’ unstoppable desire to make the project happen against all odds – with airmail instead of email, it was a huge achievement.
2022 marks fifty years since the book was published and Dreyfuss and his wife’s sad death in Pasadena USA. This paper celebrates their achievements.
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