To give you an idea of the quantity of letters in the fount we. This updated version is called Linotype Univers. This is a letterpress fount of the classic Univers typeface in 12pt. It is an interesting alternative to Helvetica I have even heard someone refer to it as ‘the thinking man’s Helvetica. This makes it suitable for many types of jobs. In 1997 Frutiger reworked the entire Univers family. Univers is a font family that includes a wide variety of weights and styles.
It was passed along to a number of foundries but currently is owned by Linotype. The resultant typeface was originally titled, Roissy, though it was named after Frutiger in 1976, when it was released for public use. Adrian Frutiger designed Univers in 1957 for Deberny & Peignot. He took a different approach to the matter and altered the Univers typeface and fused it with organic influences of the Eric Gill’s Gill Sans typeface. Frutiger first decided to adapt Univers typeface but then relinquished the idea considering a little outdated. He was required to design a way-finding signage alphabet and in such way that is both legible from afar and from any angle. Upon the successful reception of this modern typeface, the French airport authority commissioned him yet again to work for the new Charles de Gaulle International Airport. It was a set of capitals and numbers designed for white-on-dark-blue backgrounds visible especially under poor lighting. Moreover, he recreated Univers typeface in a variant font. Egyptienne was one of those typefaces that had him commissioned for photocomposition.ĭuring early 1970s, upon the request of the public transport authority of Paris, Frutiger inspected the Paris Metro signage. The family has the advantage of having a v. In a few years, he designed slab-serif typefaces. The font family Univers is one of the greatest typographic achievements of the second half of the 20th century. Frutiger clearly demonstrated his ideas of letter construction, unity, and organic form in Méridien. The typefaces were inspired by Nicholas Jenson’s work. Then Méridien appeared the following year, illustrating a glyphic, old-style, serif text face. The font family was designed by the genius Swiss type designer Adrian Frutiger. It was followed by Ondine, a calligraphic, informal, script face which translated as Wave in French. Univers is one of the most famous and popular sans serif typefaces in the world. It was designed in a manner that showcased a set of titling capital letters with small, bracketed serifs. In 1954, Frutiger’s first commercial typeface Président was released. Upon witnessing his marvelous work, Charles Peignot assigned Frutiger to convert extant typefaces for the new Linotype equipment, phototypesetting. At the foundry, he designed various typefaces including Ondine, Méridien, and Président. His wood-engraved essay illustrations displayed his meticulous skills and knowledge of letterforms. Frutiger illustrated the essay, Schrift / Écriture / Lettering: the development of European letter types carved in wood, which earned him a job offer at the French foundry Deberny Et Peignot by Charles Peignot.