In this episode of the Thinking through Design podcast, host Adam Fromme sits down with Oscar Fernández.
“Peter brought an intellectual rigor that was unheard of in American design schools.” Oscar Fernández
This episode is a celebration of the designer and educator, Peter Megert. A Swiss designer, Peter taught in the Department of Design at Ohio State and, more broadly, helped reshape American design curricula by emphasizing intellectual rigor and problem-solving over mere aesthetics. Peter’s influence through his work, humor and mannerisms, highlights how Swiss design—characterized by minimalism and clarity—emerged as a crucial visual language in post-war America, appealing to corporations eager to communicate efficiently in a rapidly expanding marketplace. This philosophy, rooted in the belief that good design prioritizes user needs and content hierarchy, has permeated contemporary design practice and education. Peter serves as one of many examples that Swiss design remains essential, guiding a new generation of designers to value simplicity and functionality in their work.
This episode coincides with the Peter Megert (1937–2022) Retrospective Exhibition which runs from October 7–December 13, 2024 at the Hopkins Hall Gallery on Ohio State University’s campus in Columbus, Ohio. For more information about events related to this exhibition, click here.
Oscar Fernández is a designer and educator with an MFA from Yale Design (1976). His design career spans leadership in various organizations, such as FITCH, VIA Group, Eyethink, and the Wexner Center for the Arts. He has also held academic positions at institutions like Carnegie Mellon University, Maine College of Art and Ohio State University, and most recently served as the chair of the School of Design in the College of DAAP, University of Cincinnati. His areas of expertise and research include visual communications, interaction design, typography, information design, environmental communications/wayfinding, and usability.
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