Typophile - Typography in architecture - Comments

Exclusive typography in

micro — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:22:32 -0700

Exclusive typography in subways/metros: http://mic-ro.com/metro/metrofonts.html

I’m studying Architecture

Carien — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 05:15:22 -0700

I’m studying Architecture at the TU Delft in the Netherlands and currently working on the same subject for my graduation. I’m especially focussing on history and the use of the alphabet in the overall design of the building: I’ve found a lot on Italian futurism (Depero, Monza Book pavilion) but I am looking for more examples of for instance early functionalism. I will post my final report. I’m also really interested in your results. When you’re finished already, can you post your final result? Good luck!

I am a grad student at

alexislouise — Fri, 7 Mar 2008 14:03:18 -0800

I am a grad student at California College of the Arts and am just beginning my research on the same subject- I’ll post anything new that I find as well!
so exciting!

Im studying at the

CaroPaynter — Mon, 3 Mar 2008 18:48:39 -0800

Im studying at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand and I was wondering if you had completed your dissertation yet as i am also researching the relationship between architecture and typography. I would be really interested in reading what you have completed, and in any other links that would be of use in regards to this topic, other than the ones through out the discussion above. I have been reading a book called “Forms of Inquiry- the architecture of critical graphic design’ edited by Zak Kyes and Mark Owens which may also be of use to you.

The Sherman Oaks Galleria

BourgeoisFace — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 21:09:07 -0700

The Sherman Oaks Galleria has a gorgeous forty foot high lower case g] engraved into the side of the building facing the freeway:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/17185596@N00/125474671

At night is it illuminated and looks absolutely stunning. Sorry I couldn’t find a better picture to put it in perspective. Has anyone else seen this in LA?

The Seattle Public Library

Jennifer Bracy — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 08:48:43 -0700

The Seattle Public Library does a great job with “supergraphics” but my favorite element is the raised wooden floor. Visitors actually tread around upon inverted raised letterforms as is if they’re on a ginat tray of movable type; it’s really pretty cool. You’ll have to look very closely at the image.

I should have remembered

joeclark — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 09:52:14 -0700

I should have remembered this one: The abortion that is the University of Toronto Graduate Students(’) Residence at Harbord & Spadina.

From _Details in Contemporary Architecture_, Caltrans District 7 HQ by Gruen.

—
Joe Clark
http://joeclark.org/

Hi Chrisostomost, It’s

megmog — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 15:21:11 -0700

Hi Chrisostomost,

It’s great to find someone else looking at this too! And you’re right, the Marion Cultural Centre really is a great example of ’typotecture’. I’m speaking to my dissertation tutor in couple of days so hopefully will have some more to work on after that. It would be great to hear some more from you on this if you have any more examples...

Thanks.

Hi megmog, I have just

chrisostomost — Mon, 8 Oct 2007 17:41:49 -0700

Hi megmog,

I have just started my MPhil/PhD by project at the Department of Architecture of the Royal College of Arts and my topic is exactly the same as yours. I call it ’Typotecture: typographic elements applied to architectural design’.

I started carrying out research on it while I was doing my undergraduate studies in Greece (5 years ago). At that period, I tried to define typotecture, record and analyse its history with emphasis to contemporary examples (using many of the ones listed above) and evaluate it. At the RCA, my intention is to develop it further, especially in practice using current digital tools (scripting, 3d modeling, rapid prototyping).

In my opinion, one of the ’good examples’ of typotecture - maybe the best - is the Marion Cultural Centre in Australia (last picture), where the boundaries between typography and architecture become blurred. It is one of the few cases where a visitor trying to read the name (semantics) of the building ends up reading the structure of it.

As you have already noticed, the information for this subject is limited and fragmentated, but this should be a reason for you to continue and not be frustrated!

Keep up the research!!!

I’ll be in touch!

chrisostomost

Definitely. I think it would

megmog — Fri, 5 Oct 2007 04:53:37 -0700

Definitely. I think it would be really interesting to look at both good and bad examples and then try to work out why it is or isn’t successful. That would be fabulous if you could take a photo, that’s very nice of you!

Another thing that is quite interesting in terms of ’bad examples’ is looking at buildings that have changed their use since the type was originally done. There’s a department store in Reading that still has ’Heelas’, its old name, embedded in the brick. It’s an argument against using typography that is more integral to the building perhaps, although in a way it’s quite interesting as it shows the building’s history...

Are you interested in failed

russellm — Thu, 4 Oct 2007 19:40:06 -0700

Are you interested in failed attempts as well as successes? There is a building north of Toronto, (between Hwy 7 and Langstaff, visible from the 400) that has a huge and hideous “A”. The space under the cross bar is the main entry. The narrow stroke is on the wrong side and it is just clumsy looking. I don’t have a photo, If you like I’ll snap one next time I drive past it.

Yes Tim I think you’re

megmog — Thu, 4 Oct 2007 14:27:22 -0700

Yes Tim I think you’re definitely right, what books and articles I have found are all about the letters themselves and not about the impact the type has on the building, bit frustrating!

I highly recommend Peter

Tim Ahrens — Mon, 1 Oct 2007 14:42:31 -0700

I highly recommend Peter Hall’s ’Living skins: Architecture as interface’:
http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/thinktank/livingskins/

In his article are some sophisticated thoughts about the role of type in architecture but he does not go into detail about the actual typography. And he is right because his thoughts are independent of the typographic details.

I also thought about writing my dissertation about typography and architecture and found that this is the main problem: Some people treat the architectural role of type while (rightly) ignoring the details. Others, like those who write about lettering, care about the actual letter shapes but not (or only superficially) about the architectural context. At least, I haven’t found anything.

If you manage to actually connect both on a sophisticated level that would be ground breaking and very impressive as far as I am concerned.

I’m sure The Wales

Richard Hards — Mon, 1 Oct 2007 12:19:15 -0700

I’m sure The Wales Millennium Centre has been discussed on typophile.com

OK, Megmog, you want current

megmog — Mon, 1 Oct 2007 03:36:59 -0700

OK, Megmog, you want current or recent stuff only, right, not historical?
Yep that’s right, I’ll look into the historical stuff as background but I really want to concentrate on more recent developments, see if there are any trends emerging etc. I’ve got the books you talk about in your blog so found it pretty interesting!

And you want exteriors, not interiors, right?
Again, I might look at a couple of interiors as sort of background, but I am definitely concentrating on exterior. Most of the interior uses of typography in buildings that I’ve found are just wayfinding systems on a larger scale, which is a whole other topic that an undergraduate dissertation doesn’t really have the word count for!

In the pics I found for the BMW building in Toronto it used images but not typography, and I really need to look at typography in architecture. Like with the interiors/exteriors I need to focus otherwise it’ll be too big a topic if I start looking at general graphics on buildings too.

Thanks for your help Joe.

Typography in architecture

megmog — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 05:00:18 -0700

Hi,

I’m a graphic design university student going into my final year and have chosen to do my dissertation on the use of typography in architecture.

Most of the resources on this topic focus on signage or wayfinding systems, but I would like to look at buildings where typography is much more integral to the overall design; this could be as part of the actual building (such as the wales millennium centre) or separate but in a way that really adds to the overall impact of the design.

I’m struggling to find good examples of this, especially in the UK where I stand a better chance of being able to talk to architects/typographers involved in the project – I’m appealing for suggestions please! I know there are a couple of other posts in this forum related to this and I’ve already checked the references out. REally helpful but I jsut need more examples really

Any suggestions of buildings that use typogrpahy or related resources would really be appreciated, thanks!