Michael Bierut


Born in Cleveland in 1957 and educated at the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning, Michael Bierut began his career as a designer for Massimo Vignelli in 1980. He spent 10 years there before becoming a partner at Pentagram in 1990. In the past 30 years he has won numerous awards for his work with international clients including Saks Fifth Avenue, United Airlines, AIGA, the Yale School of Architecture and various museums of art and design. He spent several years writing for Design Observer and is a senior critic at the Yale School of Design.

His work, and his writings, are clear, concise, witty and intelligent. He prides himself not on being creative, but on being a problem solver and advises other designers to remember who they are creating the work for. His work is in the permanent collections of museums all over the world in several countries including the United States, Germany and Switzerland. Always a joy to listen to, Bierut continues to share his wisdom through his work, published materials and personal lectures.