Will Burtin pioneered important contributions to international typography and visual design. He is best known as the world leader in using design to interpret science; as a proponent of 'clean,' uncluttered sans-serif typography; and for his large-scale three-dimensional models, which carried the craft and the art of display to new heights. His walk-through models included a human blood cell (1958) and brain functions (1960).

His major achievement: his clarity and ingenuity with models and graphics made complex information easy to assimilate.

The first monograph on Burtin, "Design and Science" illustrates his leadership in five fields: using graphics to visualize science and information (from the 1930s); corporate identity (from the mid-1940s); multimedia (which he called "Integration," from 1948); large-scale scientific visualization in 3-D (from 1958, foreshadowing computer-assisted virtual environments, i.e. CAVEspace); and, with other pioneers, promoting Helvetica in North America.

Illustrations of Burtin's work that have never before been published make this invaluable book essential reading for design professionals and all those interested in design, scientific visualization, imaging and information technology.