Muriel Cooper (1925–1994) was an American designer, educator and researcher who charted new territory for design in the changing landscape of electronic communication.
Muriel Cooper (1925–1994) was an American designer, educator and researcher who charted new territory for design in the changing landscape of electronic communication.
Muriel Cooper. Photo by Marie Cosindas.
Muriel Cooper. Photo by Marie Cosindas.
Cooper worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for most of her life—first as a freelancer in the publishing office and then co-founding the prominent MIT Media Lab. Cooper designed some of the most influential design publications in America, including Learning from Las Vegas, one of the key texts of postmodernist art critique.
Cooper worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for most of her life—first as a freelancer in the publishing office and then co-founding the prominent MIT Media Lab. Cooper designed some of the most influential design publications in America, including Learning from Las Vegas, one of the key texts of postmodernist art critique.
MIT Press logo designed by Muriel Cooper, 1965.
MIT Press logo designed by Muriel Cooper, 1965.
In 1952, Muriel became the director of the MIT Office of Publications (now Design Services). She left in 1958 to travel on a Fulbright Scholarship in Milan, Italy. On her return to Boston, she opened her own studio, Muriel Cooper/Media Designer, and soon, MIT became her biggest client—especially after she designed the MIT Press logo. “I guess I'm never sure that print is truly linear,” Muriel Cooper said. “It's more a simultaneous medium. Designers know a lot about how to control perception, how to present information in some way that helps you find what you need, or what it is they think you need. Information is only useful when it can be understood.” Messages and Means was the first class Cooper taught at MIT, focused on design and communication for print. Her teaching integrated reproduction tools as part of the thinking process in a bid to reduce the gap between process and product.
In 1952, Muriel became the director of the MIT Office of Publications (now Design Services). She left in 1958 to travel on a Fulbright Scholarship in Milan, Italy. On her return to Boston, she opened her own studio, Muriel Cooper/Media Designer, and soon, MIT became her biggest client—especially after she designed the MIT Press logo. “I guess I'm never sure that print is truly linear,” Muriel Cooper said. “It's more a simultaneous medium. Designers know a lot about how to control perception, how to present information in some way that helps you find what you need, or what it is they think you need. Information is only useful when it can be understood.” Messages and Means was the first class Cooper taught at MIT, focused on design and communication for print. Her teaching integrated reproduction tools as part of the thinking process in a bid to reduce the gap between process and product.
The Bauhaus: Weimar, Dessau, Berlin, Chicago survey designed by Muriel Cooper, 1969.
The Bauhaus: Weimar, Dessau, Berlin, Chicago survey designed by Muriel Cooper, 1969.
Messages and Means course poster, 1974. Design: Muriel Cooper and on MacNeil.
Messages and Means course poster, 1974. Design: Muriel Cooper and on MacNeil.