A grid is calculated from format and type, not chosen by aesthetic preference

Müller-Brockmann insists that the correct way to build a grid is to start from two fixed, objective conditions — the page's physical format and the size of type the content requires — and derive column widths, margins, and gutters mathematically from those starting points, rather than beginning with a preferred visual look and working backward. This reverses the order many less disciplined designers follow.

He walks through worked examples showing how a given format and type size effectively determine a narrow range of workable column structures, since text set too wide becomes hard to read and text set too narrow forces awkward, frequent hyphenation. The grid, done properly, isn't really a matter of taste at all — it's closer to solving an equation with mostly fixed variables.

This approach reframes grid construction as a technical skill that can be taught and verified, rather than an intuitive gift some designers simply have and others don't. Takeaway: let the content's actual requirements determine the structure, rather than forcing content into a structure chosen for its look.