GridType vol.—1 Explores How Digital Tools Generate New Typographic Forms
A new publication and experimental design tool by Slanted Publishers bridges historical grid systems with contemporary digital workflows.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- GridType adapts historical grid approaches like the 1870s Plaque Découpée Universelle.
- Features nine distinct grid systems inspired by geometry and digital display technologies.
- Debuts a book showcasing typefaces by ten designers alongside in-depth interviews.
The landscape of typeface design is expanding through a new experimental project titled GridType, which draws inspiration from historical grid-based methodologies. Referencing systems such as the Plaque Découpée Universelle from the 1870s—a single stencil plate engineered to form the entire alphabet—this digital tool empowers users to craft custom stencils. By selecting a grid and modifying parameters including the number of rows, columns, and complexity levels, creators can forge entirely unique typographic assets.
Published by Slanted Publishers with concepts developed by Katharina Nejdl and Céline Hurka, the tool incorporates nine distinct grid systems. These derive from extensive research into how grid-based lettering has evolved over time. While certain grids rely on fundamental geometric shapes like rectangles, triangles, and circles, others mirror the aesthetic impact of display technologies such as pixels and segmented screens.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Beyond geometry, GridType bridges historical typography with modern digital processes, referencing notable influences from Wim Crouwel, the Bauhaus movement, and nineteenth-century stencil innovations. By uniting code with design principles, the platform allows parameters to be dynamically adjusted to produce an expansive array of typographic variations. This workflow intentionally introduces the potential for unexpected discoveries as creators explore different settings.
The integration of code and custom-built digital tools into typography represents a major shift in contemporary design. When designers build their own generation tools rather than relying solely on off-the-shelf software, it opens up entirely new aesthetic territories. This mirrors historical inflection points where technological shifts fundamentally altered how letterforms are conceived and produced.
GridType Vol.—1 highlights typography specimens crafted by ten different designers using the system, with the resulting typefaces made available for public download via grid-type.com. Alongside these specimens, the publication investigates the evolving relationship between type design and technology through interviews and Q&A sessions, tackling themes such as how technological progress shapes typography and why designers benefit from building their own tools.
Produced with meticulous physical detail, the publication features Risography printing by no kiss (Tjobo Kho) in Amsterdam, utilizing Holmen bleached and unbleached paper weights of 70 g/sm and 120 g/sm to complement its forward-thinking digital subject matter.
Source: designboom
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