Hasta La Ideas

Zurich-based typographer and illustrator Stephan Walter has launched his first solo show at London’s Coningsby Gallery.

Named an ADC Young Gun in 2009, Walter studied graphic design at the F&F School in Zurich and has since produced intricate typographic illustrations for cultural venues, construction companies, newspapers and magazines. He also interned at Stefan Sagmeister’s studio in New York, where he worked on the artwork for Brian Eno and David Byrne’s album, Everything That Happens WIll Happen Today.

The exhibition features personal and commissioned work from throughout Walter’s career, including posters for gigs and festivals, editorial illustrations for Varoom, Wired and Time Out, an A-Z of urbanisation for a construction company, and work from his degree project, Dos Santos – a series of illustrations presenting a fictional town with attractions kitted out in Vegas-style signage.

Walter creates illustrations using 3D animation software, and often designs an object in its entirety to use an image of it from just one angle. He describes his work as ‘typo-tecture’, and believes type should be an integral part of any design rather than a super imposed after-thought, often building letters into the structure of buildings or objects.

Architecture is a major influence on Walter’s work, and he counts Edward Hopper and Robert Venturi among his biggest inspirations. His illustrations have featured hotels, houses, diners and ferris wheels, and in this design for Zurich arts centre Rote Fabrik, he created a resort out of the name of the venue:

Walter’s early work is almost exclusively black and white but his later illustrations feature colourful letterforms and backgrounds, and he says he likes to add small details – such as witty phrases or slogans – to make people smile.

How to Cook Panda Bears Without Losing Your Soul is open at the Coningsby Gallery until February 7 – for details, click here.