The Manifesto di Comunicazione Alla Cittadinanza di Urbino is a civic communication poster created in 1969 by Italian graphic designer Albe Steiner as part of a broader coordinated visual identity project for the city of Urbino. The poster was one component of a comprehensive program developed during the 1968/1969 academic year, in which Steiner worked alongside students of the CSAG (Corso Superiore per le Arti Grafiche, now ISIA) to design a new logotype, historic centre signage, and a city bulletin for the municipality.[1]
Design and History
The project originated from Steiner’s collaboration with the University of Urbino’s rector Carlo Bo, architect Giancarlo De Carlo, and the local administration. It is recognized as one of the first instances in Italy where a coordinated design approach, already practiced internationally, was applied to a local civic context.[2]
The results of the project were included in the XIV Milan Triennale, curated by De Carlo in 1968 under the title “Il Grande Numero.” The exhibition was interrupted on its opening day amid general protests, and the CSAG show “Grafica e segnaletica in un centro storico” was re-installed the following year in the Palazzo Ducale of Urbino.[3]
The broader project, which included the new logotype for the city, was described by Steiner’s daughter Anna Steiner as a “true revolution carried out through the visual instrument, in which graphics acquire the function of adding clarity and design that of reducing chaos.”[4]
Meaning and Symbolism
Steiner’s approach to the Urbino project was rooted in his belief that graphic design should serve a social function. He described graphic designers as “modest workers among masses of simple people who have the right to participate in communication, culture, and knowledge.”[5] The manifesto to the citizenry embodied this philosophy, aiming to make municipal communication accessible and direct.
Steiner’s work on the city’s visual identity was noted for rendering “the Renaissance soul of the city with the clarity and immediacy of images.”[4] The project also included design sketches and the city’s coat of arms (stemma), dated 1969-1970.[6]
Typography and Design
Steiner, who joined the Alliance Graphique Internationale in 1955, was self-taught as an artist and known for his versatility. He approached design as “a way of life” and was described as idealistic and politically motivated.[7] His work on the Urbino identity followed a rationalist approach, using graphics as a technical-cultural instrument to improve the organization and legibility of urban elements.[8]
The project’s significance was commemorated in 2019 with the conference “Grafica e segnaletica per un centro storico 1969-2019,” organized by ISIA Urbino and the Rotary Club, which examined the legacy of Steiner’s work for the city.[9] The proceedings were published in 2020 by Corraini Edizioni under the title Grafica per la città.[10]
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