Westinghouse

Founded in 1862 by the father of alternating current (and Nikola Tesla’s boss), Westinghouse is a giant of American industry, and Paul Rand’s 1959 circuit-board W was a milestone in American graphic design. But after a century of aggressive licensing and repeated changes in ownership, the once-ubiquitous brand was in decline. The consumer products lacked differentiation, the corporate site linked through to a miscellany of uncoordinated sub-brand sites, and Westinghouse’s global presence had grown incoherent.

In 2021, a group of new owners turned to Paula Scher at Pentagram to restore the legendary brand’s clarity. She asked us to modify our Field Gothic to create a modern successor to Rand’s Westinghouse Gothic. Three of Field’s 64 styles were selected for customization; we tested the beta versions by recreating some of Rand’s classic designs. Another three were used without modification to round out the type palette—Field’s first public use. The new Westinghouse Sans has become a central element of a refreshed and refocused design system. Branding and website by Pentagram.