#vignell

Abe Hirschfeld, who made a fortune building parking garages, turned a parking garage at 330 East 61st Street into an exclusive fitness club in the 1980s.

In 1979, Vignelli Associates designed a logo, brochure, stationery, and membership materials for what their own brochure deemed “a country club in the heart of the city”

“A unique sporting club offering tennis, squash and racquetball”

“No sport and racquet facility like exists anywhere.”

By 1984, the club was the place to be seen with many celebrity sightings [for example, Cher, Diana Ross, Liza Minelli, Arnold Schwarzenegger, David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Ashford and Simpson, Brooke Shields]

Quotes from a 1984 NY Times article about the health club’s social scene:

''The Vertical Club is today's Studio 54''

“People join other health clubs to get in shape before they join here''

“Pure Fellini''

“It is better socially than a singles bar because it's not so obvious”'

Here is what the VC brochure promised:

“Court time at your convenience is always assured, because Vertical Club membership is strictly limited. … The congeniality and prestige of the club us maintained by our Admissions Committee, which interviews and approves all applicants.”

Staff are ready “to make each visit to the Vertical Club a delightful leisure experience.”

Courts

“Courts are stacked vertically atop one another. Each level of the vertical club is equivalent to four stories; the building is the height of a 20-story structure.”

“Architect Eugene Ho has created tennis “al fresco” through open, retractable siding on the courts.”

Courtside Restaurant and Bar

“The glass-walled, elevated Courtside Restaurant overlooks our two exhibition tennis courts and glass-sided racquetball court.”

Graphics

“Vignelli Associates are designers of tremendous scope.”

Fee schedule

“Resident + spouse Initiation fee $4000 plus $125/mo”

And speaking of the 1980s, join us next week for our next Open Houses which will highlight artifacts from the archives from the 1980s. Check out our events page on our website for more details [link in bio]

9/25-9/26, 2024 10am-4pm

And in the spring with a completely different displays of 1980s artifact!

The Stendig calendar has remained a classic for decades! It is not for the faint of heart at 48 inches wide by 36 inches high with bold black and white alternating pages (it even had a brief stint with color page in the 1980s). Designed in 1966 by Massimo Vignelli and has been produced every year since!

“We had always wanted to design a large calendar (3’ x 4’) with big numbers, visible from across a studio floor. Stendig provided us with such an opportunity. We designed the first one toward the end of 1966 and it was distributed in time for Christmas. By the end of December, it was already in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Thereafter, Stendig produced it for many years. It has inspired a number of more or less successful imitations.”

Photo descriptions:

1973 unknown photographer, January 1973 in black with white typography

Stan Ries photo shoot c. 1975 which caught Massimo with three Vignelli-designed calendars: Stendig (January 1974), The Max 365 (on number 23) and the Wild Places calendar (August 1975).

1986 reshoot of three Vignelli-designed calendars: Stendig (February 1986), The Max 365 (still on number 23) and the Wild Places calendar (August 1975).

January 1969 at Unimark office

June 1969 at Unimark office with unidentified Unimark staff

For your eyes only: Ettore Sottsass

In 1973, Lella and Massimo Vignelli contacted a group of designers to make sunglass design proposals for a new “Designer’s Line” for American Optical. We have some correspondence between the Vignellis and the designers, as well as sketches and prototypes of the various ideas for the sunglasses. The project was delayed by a company reorganization at American Optical, but we aren’t sure if any of these designs were actually manufactured. 

The designers included were: Ettore Sottsass, Marc Held, Hans Hollbein, Cini Boeri, Pentagram, Roger Tallon, Gae Aulenti, Achille Castiglioni, Marco Zanusco, and Nick Roericht. 

Today we are featuring the proposed designs by the Ettore Sottsass. Are these the exact same shades Sottsass is sporting in this famous photo by Bruno Gecchelin from 1974?  https://www.curbed.com/2017/7/21/16008340/ettore-sottsass-exhibition-alexandra-lange

From his included bio: “I wear long hair in spite of my age and normally shoes with red strings which i bought in Tokyo: but I may change.”

Stay tuned as we show you some of the creative designs that were proposed by some of the other designers! And as we try to unravel the story of the “Designer’s Line.”

If you do it right, it will last forever. It's as simple as that.

- Lella Vignelli

fiercely benevolent, ever intelligent, fixedly elegant in the face of a lifetime of sexism, to leave an indelible mark on design forever

you are significant. thank you for being an inspiration. you will help guide me