Type Exhibition

For this project, I was required to select a typeface and investigate the characteristics that make it distinctive and recognisable. I chose Futura, designed by Paul Renner in 1927. My research focused on the formal qualities of the typeface and how these characteristics could be translated into a cohesive visual system for a fictional type exhibition.

Futura was strongly influenced by the geometric principles of the Bauhaus, a design movement that emerged in Germany and reached its peak between 1919 and 1933. I was particularly drawn to Futura’s geometric construction and its clean, precise and highly controlled appearance. The characteristics I found most distinctive were its pointed apexes, monoweight strokes, low crossbars and circular counterspaces. I was especially interested in the pointed apexes found in letters such as the capital A and M, as well as the circular forms created within letters such as O, G and Q. These features create a strong relationship between geometric form and typography.

My design approach was inspired by these characteristics while maintaining a clean and minimal geometric aesthetic. Rather than simply displaying the typeface, I wanted each deliverable to visually communicate a specific formal quality of Futura and demonstrate how its individual letterforms could become graphic elements.

For the first pull-up banner, I focused on the i and j, exploring their distinctive vertical structures and relationship between the stem and dot. The second pull-up banner highlights Futura as a geometric sans serif by arranging the g, o and q within a structured grid. Repetition and alignment emphasise the circular and geometric construction of these letterforms.

The bookmark focuses on Futura’s pointed apex. I grouped and positioned multiple letterforms so that their angled forms converge towards a single point, directing the viewer’s eye through the composition and emphasising the sharpness of the letterforms.

For the poster, I explored the geometric foundations of Futura by overlapping the A, E and O. This creates an interaction between three fundamental geometric forms: the triangle, square and circle. The overlapping letterforms demonstrate how Futura’s characters can be deconstructed into simple geometric shapes.

Inside the fold-out poster, I focused on the similarities between the Q, P, D and B. By overlapping the characters, I highlighted how subtle changes in the height and position of their stems and counters are enough to distinguish one letterform from another. This allowed the design to demonstrate the precision and consistency within Futura’s construction.

Across the entire exhibition system, I maintained a consistent warm-toned colour palette against a white background. This restrained palette supports the geometric compositions without competing with the typography, while the white space reinforces Futura’s clean and minimal character. Together, the deliverables create a cohesive exhibition identity that celebrates the formal qualities and geometric construction that make Futura distinctive.