Massimo Vignelli is one of the most important protagonists in the history of design, and graphic design in particular. He designed graphic systems that had, and still have today, a tangible utility for millions of people everyday, thanks to his determination in basing the design on a true understanding of the users’s real needs.

Through both his deep cultural commitment and his real comprehension of the design discipline, Vignelli crucially contributed to the design profession by keeping alive and also promoting the evolution of the fundamental principles that were developed by the Modern Movement during the early 20th century, thus revealing to everyone their ongoing validity.

A validity that we can see in his own design, as demonstrated by both the strength and functionality that still characterise it, and also by the interest toward Vignelli’s design shared by thousands of people from all over the world. The work of Vignelli indeed shows a timeless validity housed in its pragmatic, rational, and visually forceful nature.

Vignelli taught us to appreciate the functionality and elegance of simple, rational shapes—an aesthetic that is result of a deep cultural sensitivity, before being a matter of style or taste. His opera will always be an excellent example to make people understand the social value of design and to make designers understand the need to adopt a professional discipline that will allow to properly manage such a responsibility.