Why did International Typographic Style designers use modular grids and sans-serif typefaces?

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Graphic design Scene from the Egyptian Book of the Dead.

Designers of the International Typographic Style utilized modular grids and sans-serif typefaces to achieve a neutral, objective, and rational approach to communication. By de-emphasizing subjective individual expression, they sought to create designs that were clear, harmonious, and accessible to a broad audience.1

The use of these elements served several specific purposes:

Modular Grids: Designers constructed grids of horizontal and vertical lines to regularize and align design elements. This provided a structured framework that prioritized order and programmatic uniformity.1
Sans-Serif Typefaces: These typefaces were favored for their clarity and contemporary aesthetic. Adherents believed these elemental forms were the most appropriate expression of the postwar scientific and technological age.1

Ultimately, this movement aimed to eliminate unnecessary ornament in favor of structural clarity. This objective style became highly influential, particularly for multinational corporations seeking to establish consistent visual identity systems through standardized grids and type.1