"We 're not interested in what is invisible ". Norm (Swiss Graphic Design, Enjoy Survive) work with the concrete. As advocates of graphic design in the traditional sense of the word Dimitri Bruni and Manuel Krebs represent conceptual purit and systematics within the clear framework of Swiss design. Their ambitious, methodical approach manifests itself in the strict and sober reduction to the absolute gist in pictogrammes, vector graphics, isometric depictions, products/manual instructions (though no actual product design) and typographic experiments. With official and self-created standards Norm analyse 'The Things' to judge them by other than the usual criteria. They dissect, construct and evaluate a wide variety of everyday objects (telephone, car, house), decrypting the effect of three-dimensional objects in two-dimensional space. Furthermore, Norm delve into perception-sensitive, typographic experiments by testing various alphabets for their readability, e. g. Kanji, Arabic, Hebrew as well as a specially generated inventory of all possible characters, to analyse their respective (dis)advantages. Norm, by the way, are aptly named - for two entire days they methodically, almost obsessively studied standards, guidelines and test bodies in the German DIN-Institut.. eine Untersuchung der Dinge, die in einem zweidimensionalen Raum erscheinen, die Ergebnisse, zu denen sie kommen, werfen eine ganze Reihe von Fragen auf, die teilweise geradezu philosphischen Charakter besitzen. Auch wenn eine grundlegende Schriftform Utopie bleibt, können nicht bloß Typografen aus faszinierenden Versuchsanordnungen eine ganze Menge lernen. PAGE, 2002-07-01Reduziertes und klares Design, wie es wohl nur aus der Schweiz kommen kann. Eigenwillig und anders. Erforsche die Dinge !www. designbooks. net, 2002-05-01