Can design fight back?
When I first started work on the Design of Power collection of essays and videos, my focus was almost exclusively on the built environment in Wolfenstein: The New Order. I have a deep love and curiosity for architecture and I could tell that the environmental designers in Wolfenstein did too.
But, if you've read my recent post about Big Title, you'll probably also notice I have a fascination with type, design, and how the written word can convey more than what is written. As I played through Wolfenstein, I fell in love with the poster and logo designs right away; they're this pristine snapshot of 1960s graphic design trends known for their crisp lines and clever forms.
That is odd, though, right? Somehow, in this world fully subjugated by a backward-looking fascist machine, design still flourishes? How can that be? So, I went back...all the way to 1450, to sort out what is happening here and why, in an alternate future, two clashing typefaces seem to share the spotlight.
This is a history video, a typography video, and, as you've probably come to expect, a video about resistance from within a totalitarian regime. Can design fight back? Let's find out together.
