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Luca Vignelli on legendary designers

Courtesy of Randy Cohen

Luca Vignelli reflects on his parents, Massimo and Lella Vignelli—legendary designers who created everything from furniture to typefaces, including the bold 1972 New York City subway map. Though initially hated and quickly withdrawn, the MTA has now revived the map, slightly revised, offering rare good news in tough times. “It was a diagram, not a map,” Luca explains. Speaking from Nerano, Italy, he shares insights into their legacy, their philosophy, and why they never saw themselves as artists.

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