Bento Grid vs Swiss
ベントーグリッド / スイス・スタイル
Bento Grid comes from Information Design and Swiss from Functionalism. One is layout and the other style. They are reached for with some of the same intent, which is where they get confused.
Bento Grid
Divides different kinds of information into independent boxes, giving the whole picture at a glance.
Swiss
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Puts order front and center and makes the information itself the protagonist.
| Bento Grid | Swiss | |
|---|---|---|
| Era | 2020s | 1950s– |
| Family | Information Design | Functionalism |
| Kind | Layout | Style |
| Cues | Cards large and small / Aligned gutters / One-screen summary / Modules | Strict grid / Sans-serif type / Asymmetry / Objective photography |
| Best used for | Presenting many features as one story · Staying friendly while keeping density | Making complex information fast to read · Giving an organization rationality and transparency |
| Type | A plain sans; oversize the numbers and short headings | Neutral sans-serif; be bold with size contrast |
| Composition | Tile large and small cards on four to six columns | 12-column grid, left-aligned, asymmetric |
| Material | Vary each card's role; keep decoration inside the cards | White space and objective photographs; almost no ornament |
| Caution | Not every card equal. Vary area and density by importance. | Too much tidiness turns anonymous. Keep one strong jump in scale. |