On the Stendig Calendar
Designed in 1966 by Massimo Vignelli, the Stendig Calendar remains one of the great pieces of functional modernism. It is a simple object on the surface - 122 by 92 centimetres of monochrome type - yet it has a presence that anchors a room. The alternating black and white months, the generous scale and the unmistakable Helvetica all contribute to its distinctive graphic authority. It feels less like stationery and more like an annual installation.
I have owned several over the years and still enjoy the ritual of turning each page. The perforated sheets tear cleanly and often find a second life as wrapping or reference. It is a reminder that good design persists not through novelty but through clarity and restraint. Vignelli’s intention was for it to be both useful and beautiful, and more than half a century on it remains exactly that.
The new edition has just arrived in New Zealand and Kiosk are once again stocking it. Their curation suits the calendar’s quiet discipline - considered, functional and made to last. For anyone wanting to begin the year with a piece of design history that earns its space on the wall, the Stendig remains an enduring choice
