The judges wrote:
Sophisticated with an underlying sense of fun, Die Zeit is one of Germany’s most well-known weekly newspapers and the design must get due credit.
Balanced and symmetrical in its look, Die Zeit enjoys a quiet authority through its beautifully modular layout and its elegant and restrained typography. That authority allows it to take creative chances, whether it is a comic-book treatment of a political report or a children’s page (which has a perforated edge encouraging interactivity).
Another welcome surprise is the use of two covers – one after the other – in the magazine and occasionally in the broadsheet. This shows the newspaper’s inventive storytelling and might also be a nod to the influence of digital presentation.
Intentionality resonates from its pages, which shine with illustrations and graphics that could only result from thoughtfulness and coordinated effort between designers and editors. Such is the case with the playful photo illustrations, including a pantless politician behind a podium on its front page.
Finally, Die Zeit’s rich color palette is used sparingly and therefore to noticeable effect whether it is a graphic about beer production or a strikingly black and red painted X on its front page reminding readers that there are only days to the national election.
Read about the other World’s Best winners: Dagens Nyheter, The Grid, The Guardian and Welt am Sonntag
Track 21 years of news design history: See all the winners from the general competition in the SND Competition Database
Society for News Design
Society for News Design