This is experimental type.
Inspired by the neon signs and brutalist architecture of a city skyline, STATION is an experimental display typeface designed to be set vertically and horizontally. Conceptualized as a term project in Typography Fundamentals and assembled within Fontstruct, STATION attempts to redefine the archetypal letterform: trimming away negative space along the x-height to create letters just this edge of recognizable. These glyphs convey a sense of mass, comprised of modular blocks that—when stacked atop each other—form striking, typographic metropolises, towering upon the page.
Where did it begin?
Each aspect of STATION’s design presented a unique challenge: until I began my Typography Fundamentals course, I was scarcely aware of the minutiae between different letterforms. Furthermore, Fontstruct—a web program which allows anyone to create a typeface—is quite limited in its capabilities; large curves and angles are extremely difficult to accomplish, greatly constricting the number of possible glyph designs. This project would need to address these issues in stride, finding solutions during each
step of the process.
step of the process.
How was it designed?
STATION went through numerous iterations (and some of these quite drastic!); even so, it continued
as an experiment in typographic form, pushing at the boundaries of readability while remaining legible within context. Rhomboids, segmented curves, and similarly abstract illustrative elements were discarded for large, rectangular blocks, accordingly cut as letterforms and into which thin strips are carved. These stringently minimalist counters define each glyph as a letter or number, and facilitate composability within Fontstruct. In particular, stems are asymmetrically bisected by these strips—an element of negative space common to STATION’s characters, onto which they may be vertically aligned to form striking, typographic constructs. STATION functions best in large point sizes, where it may be used as an atmospheric, “punk sci-fi” display face, or utilized to frame colors and images in unorthodox—though by no means uncompelling—collages.
as an experiment in typographic form, pushing at the boundaries of readability while remaining legible within context. Rhomboids, segmented curves, and similarly abstract illustrative elements were discarded for large, rectangular blocks, accordingly cut as letterforms and into which thin strips are carved. These stringently minimalist counters define each glyph as a letter or number, and facilitate composability within Fontstruct. In particular, stems are asymmetrically bisected by these strips—an element of negative space common to STATION’s characters, onto which they may be vertically aligned to form striking, typographic constructs. STATION functions best in large point sizes, where it may be used as an atmospheric, “punk sci-fi” display face, or utilized to frame colors and images in unorthodox—though by no means uncompelling—collages.
