About
Biography
Wim Westerveld studied graphic design and typography at the ArtEZ Academy of Art & Design in Arnhem, the Netherlands. From 1985 to 1992, he worked with the major corporate design agencies BRS Premsela Vonk (now Edenspiekermann) and Total Design in Amsterdam, and as a lecturer at the HKU University of the Arts Utrecht. He moved to Berlin in January 1993. There, he co-founded the design studio de blik and partnered with Matthias Wittig to form fernkopie. fernkopie’s book projects have received awards from the “Stiftung Buchkunst” and “Stichting Best Verzorgde Boeken” foundations. Westerveld has also co-authored and edited numerous articles and publications on the topic of design. After returning to Amsterdam in 1999, he became a partner at the design studio ontwerpforum/neon while continuing his work as part of fernkopie. In the fall of 2008, he was appointed Professor of Typography at the weißensee academy of art berlin. In 2021 he partnered with Lizzy Onck to form the studio Onck West.
Publications
2017
“Genealogie der Typografie” in Serie und Serialität. Konzepte und Analysen in Gestaltung und Wissenschaft, Edited by Gerhard Scholtz, published by Reimer, Berlin.
2007/2019
Wrote texts about Henk Gianotten for the series Roots, which explores the roots of Dutch graphic design culture. Published by Robert van Rixtel, [z]oo productions, Eindhoven.
2006
Co-authored U1, vom Schutzumschlag zum Marketinginstrument with Renate Stefan and Nina Rothfos. Published by Verlag Hermann Schmidt, Mainz.
2003–2008
Wrote several articles about design for Vormberichten. Published by BNO, Amsterdam.
2002
Letters, een bloemlezing over typografie. Published by [z]oo productions, Robert van Rixtel & Eric van Casteren, Eindhoven.
2000
Lecturis Documentaire 26: Het straatbeeld van Dublin, Amsterdam & Berlin. Published by Lecturis Publishers, Eindhoven.
1993–1999
Wrote monthly “fernkopie berlin” column for Vormberichten. Published by BNO, Amsterdam.
1990
Contributed chapter about typographic standards to Typografie. Uitgangspunten, richtlijnen, techniek. Published by GOC-Publishers, Amsterdam.
Awards
2006
“Die schönsten deutschen Bücher” award from the Stiftung Buchkunst for U1, vom Schutzumschlag zum Marketinginstrument; Verlag Hermann Schmidt, Mainz.
2003
“Best Verzorgde Boek” award from the Stichting Best Verzorgde Boeken for Letters, een bloemlezing over typografie; Zoo Producties/Veenman, NL.
2000
“Die schönsten deutschen Bücher” award from the Stiftung Buchkunst for the catalog 4:3 – 50 Jahre italienisches und deutsches Design; Art and Exhibition Hall of the Federal Republic of Germany, Bonn.
1999
“Die schönsten deutschen Bücher” award from the Stiftung Buchkunst for Bach, Thema & Variationen. Ein Lese-Buch zum Konzertprojekt Konzerthaus Berlin; Wallstein Verlag, Göttingen.
1998
“Die schönsten deutschen Bücher” awarded First Prize by the Stiftung Buchkunst for Berlin–Tôkyô im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert; Japanisch-Deutsches Zentrum Berlin.
1997
“Die schönsten deutschen Bücher” award from the Stiftung Buchkunst for the commemorative book Fünfzig Jahre Volk & Wissen Verlag; Volk & Wissen Verlag Berlin.
Lectures
2016
“Genealogie der Typografie” lecture for the Bild Wissen Gestaltung. Ein interdisziplinäres Labor Excellence Cluster at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin.
2014
“Beyond Type” talk at Berlijnse Avonden in the Buchstabenmuseum, Berlin.
2011
“Contemporary book design in Western Europe” lecture and workshop at Press & Publication Congress, Shanghai.
2008
“Book design in the Netherlands” lecture at the 58. Arbeitstagung der Herstellungsleiter Irsee, Irsee.
2007
“Cover Stories” symposium for the BNO (Association of Dutch Designers), Pakhuis De Zwijger, Amsterdam.
“Sound, Structure, Type. About the relation between music and typography” lecture at TypoBerlin 2007, Berlin.
2004
“Methods of book design in the Netherlands” lecture at Press & Publication Congress, Shanghai.
2002
“Letters” symposium on designing and applying typefaces at [Z]oo-Symposium, Amsterdam.
2000
“The Street Scene of Dublin, Amsterdam and Berlin” (with Verena Gerlach) at TypoBerlin 2000, Berlin.
1997
“Art or design” at the Netherlands Design Institute, Amsterdam.
1994
“The typographic languages of a metropolis” at the TCC Sociology Congress, Berlin
1992
“Grafik Design in Holland, neue Tendenzen” at FH Campus Wien, Vienna.
1987
“How to design with and in spite of computers” at the Design Conference Design ’87, Amsterdam.
Teaching activities
Wim Westerveld served as a lecturer in Typography at the HKU University of the Arts Utrecht from 1989 to 1993, and as a guest professor at Berlin University of the Arts (UdK Berlin) from 1997 to 1999. He served several stints as a visiting professor at the Merz Akademie in Stuttgart between 1992 and 2003. From 2000 to 2005, he served as the co-developer of and lecturer for the Master of Arts in Editorial Design program at the HKU University of the Arts in Utrecht. He has been the Professor of Typography and Design at the weißensee academy of art berlin since the fall of 2008.
Imprint
© 2019 Wim Westerveld, all rights reserved.
Reproduction, modification storage in a retrieval system or retransmission in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, or otherwise, for reasons other than personal use, of either images, text, audio or video is strictly prohibited, without prior written permission by Wim Westerveld.
Website Design:
Lizzy Onck
Website Development:
Martin Wecke
Wim Westerveld
Pasteurstraße 27
10407 Berlin
Germany
mail@wimwesterveld.com
Wim Westerveld
Weißensee Kunsthochschule Berlin
Bühringstraße 20
13086 Berlin