Typeradio Podcast

Based in Vienna Austria, Strukt is a design studio founded by five partners and specialised in events and exhibitions. Their working field includes interactive design, generative design, motion design, stage design and graphic design. We talk with two of the five founders, Thomas Hitthaler and Andreas Koller, and wonder if they consider Strukt Studio to be a typical Austrian design studio. Subsequently, some Austrian designers such as Clemens Schedler and Markus Hanzer are mentioned. We end the interview with the question if they have any international design heroes. Recorded at the 20plusX 2011 Symposium in München, Germany.

Based in London, Michael Hor­sham began work­ing within Tomato on a free­lance basis in 1994, join­ing full-time in 1996. Tomato was founded in 1991 as a collective of artists, designers, musicians (Underworld) and writers. The group develops cross platform, multi-media projects; both commercial and research based. Michael illuminates the philosophical and practical side of Tomato. Such as: the structure within the collective, the various people that are involved, the work and projects they do and how they work together and collaborate on a daily basis. Halfway the interview the conversation turns more towards music and we hear all about a very interesting instrument called the Irish Bouzouki, that he recently became the proud owner of. Recorded at the 20plusX 2011 Symposium in München, Germany.

Pixelgarten is a small bureau for multidisciplinary creation based in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Catrin Altenbrandt and Adrian Nießler both studied Visual Communication at the College of Design in Offenbach and are working together since 2004 in the fields of photography, illustration and graphics. Because Catrin and Adrian have a relationship as well, we wonder if that doesn’t get in the way of the work sometimes. And how did they start working together? Was it first love and then work or the other way around? We also get an insight on a couple of projects they did and what happens to the set after the project is done. Do they try and keep something or tear everything down? Recorded at the 20plusX 2011 Symposium in München, Germany.

Stefan Claudius has been working as a graphic and type designer since 2000 and started the Cape Arcona Type Foundry with co-founder Thomas Schostok in 2002. Next to that he teaches at different German Universities. As Stefan studied Industrial Design at the Universities of Wuppertal and Essen in Germany, we wonder how he ended up as a typographer. The fonts by Cape Arcona have a typical visual style and are standing out in the overall serious type world. We ask why they are so attracted by this look of imperfection. Stefan also tells us about their plans to set up a new foundry for their more serious typefaces, but they still miss a proper name for it. So if you have a good suggestion you are more than welcome to send us an email! Recorded at the 20plusX 2011 Symposium in München, Germany.

Julia Kahl studied graphic design at University of Applied Sciences Darmstadt, Germany and graduated in 2008. Since then she is working for Magma Brand Design as managing editor and graphic designer of Slanted Magazine and weblog. Julia explains how she became interested in writing and talks about her most memorable interviews for Slanted Magazine. She also gives us an insight on how they come up with the topics and themes for every issue and we get an inside scoop on the upcoming editions! Recorded at the 20plusX 2011 Symposium in München, Germany.

Andreas Uebele studied architecture and urban planning at the University of Stuttgart and art at the Stuttgart State Academy. In 1996 he founded his agency ‘büro uebele visuelle kommunikation’. Since 1998 he has been a professor of communication design at Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences. Andreas speaks about his first design job, a poster design for the movie Dr. Mabuse. He explains how this was his first experience with typography. We ask him whether there are similarities between architecture and typography and what it was that attracted him to graphic design instead of architecture. We also talk about the process and redesign of the German Eagle, that his studio did for the Deutsche Bundestag, the German Parliament. We end the interview with a ‘mean’ question. Recorded at the 20plusX 2011 Symposium in München, Germany.

Growing up and living in Israel was very influential to Oded Ezer as a person and as a typographic artist. He explores the rich fusion of historic research, Israeli culture, calligraphy, classic typography, experimentation, storytelling, and science which come into play within his unique body of work. We ask Oded about his first typographic memory and his early inspirations when he was studying at the Bezalel Academy for Arts and Design. Before his studies Oded served in the Israeli Army. We wonder how serving in the Army helped him to begin his career as a designer. We also talk about his ‘Biotypography’ series, like the ‘Typosperm’ project and the first film he did, called ‘Typembrya’. And more recent projects such as ‘Skypetype’ and his future plans. Recorded at the ATypI 2010 conference in Dublin, Ireland.

David Berlow entered the type industry in 1978 as a designer for the respected Mergenthaler, Linotype, Stempel, and Haas type foundries. He joined the newly formed digital type supplier Bitstream in 1982 and in 1989 founded The Font Bureau, with Roger Black. David gives us an insight in his working methods. How does he start making a new typeface? Mostly it’s listening from his part and figuring out what it is people are actually saying. We also talk about things he learned along the way, like being a good manager. We wonder how often he rejects new proposals or submissions for typefaces? And his vision on coming trends in type design. Recorded at the ATypI 2010 conference in Dublin, Ireland.

November 2010 Typeradio held a two day workshop in cooperation with Indra Kupferschmid and 12 students of the Hochschule der Bildenden Künste (HBK Saar) in Saarbrücken, Germany. Each student was assigned a typeface designed by a Dutch designer with the question ‘How do you interpret the typeface into a one minute sound piece?’ The resulting 12 sound pieces were the starting point of a new workshop in collaboration with Jan Willem Stas and 12 students of the Type and Media master coarse, The Hague, The Netherlands. Each student was allocated an (anonymously labelled) sound piece and their challenge was to ‘create a typeface inspired by the sound’. The results were quite a surprise! 1) Original typeface: Sheriff by Peter Verheul 2) Sound piece by Birte Spreuer and Daniela Spinelli 3) Chinese whispered typeface by Lauri Toikka The first thing Lauri heard listening to the sound were noises of horses and several guys breaking out of jail. Then followed police cars and he heard some shooting. At the end everybody’s dead and the sheriff rides into the sunset. The typeface Lauri had in mind had to have an American and Western feeling. And for sure the jail breakout had to be visible in the typeface. These jail bars are now significant elements in the font. left: Sheriff by Peter Verheul, right: Chinese whispered Sheriff by Lauri Toikka

On February 7th, 2011 Typeradio held a workshop for 1st year Graphic Design students at the KABK Academy in The Hague, The Netherlands. The assignment was to select a typeface and create a 1 to 2 minute sound piece that proclaims why this typeface is the best ever designed. Here is part two of the end results, featuring: Rockwell, by Birte Veerkamp & Liz Klaver Courier New, by Danicha Leliveld & Thomas Gerards Eurostile, by Anissa Casarella &Tjitske Oosterholt Collis Roman, by Hidde Hornman & Jasper van Blokland Meta Serif by Jonatan van der Horst & Roos Laan

On February 7th, 2011 Typeradio held a workshop for 1st year Graphic Design students at the KABK Academy in The Hague, The Netherlands. The assignment was to select a typeface and create a 1 to 2 minute sound piece that proclaims why this typeface is the best ever designed. Here is part two of the end results, featuring: Times New Roman, by Malou Koopman & Ines da Costa Big Caslon, by Ruben Verkuylen & Ciro Römer Bifur, by Joan Doyer & Nicoline van der Beek Gotham, by Bram de Leeuw & Marcel Schepen Handwriting, by Charlotte Doets & Sophie Neppelenbroek

Catherine Dixon is a designer who teaches at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, London. She writes regularly on typography and type design. Together with Phil Baines she co-authored the book ‘Signs: Lettering in the Environment’. The interview begins with a discussion regarding space. She explains how creating space is one of her rituals which also comes across in her teaching. Catherine talks about Phil Baines, and how the book type walks came about. Finally Catherine reveals the typeface she would like to be remembered, slightly eccentric and a bit wilder than the letters we’re used to nowadays. Recorded at the ATypI 2010 conference in Dublin, Ireland.

November 2010 Typeradio held a two day workshop in cooperation with Indra Kupferschmid and 12 students of the Hochschule der Bildenden Künste (HBK Saar) in Saarbrücken, Germany. Each student was assigned a typeface designed by a Dutch designer with the question ‘How do you interpret the typeface into a one minute sound piece?’ The resulting 12 sound pieces were the starting point of a new workshop in collaboration with Jan Willem Stas and 12 students of the Type and Media master coarse, The Hague, The Netherlands. Each student was allocated an (anonymously labelled) sound piece and their challenge was to ‘create a typeface inspired by the sound’. The results were quite a surprise! 1) Original typeface: Spaghetti by Donald Roos 2) Sound piece by Marco Wiesmeier 3) Chinese whispered typeface by Linda Hintz Without thinking Linda doodled a fly stuck in a glass. Her sound was quite artificial and monotone with some doodling in the background. With a bit more thinking she came up with a monoline. She was thinking about a slightly condensed monospaced regular with small serifs. Now she missed the doodling part and she wanted to put the idea of the fly back into her typeface. Eventually she used this ingredient for making the ligatures and ended up with crazy ligatures which connect three letters or more. left: Spaghetti by Donald Roos, right: Chinese Whispered Spaghetti by Linda Hintz

November 2010 Typeradio held a two day workshop in cooperation with Indra Kupferschmid and 12 students of the Hochschule der Bildenden Künste (HBK Saar) in Saarbrücken, Germany. Each student was assigned a typeface designed by a Dutch designer with the question ‘How do you interpret the typeface into a one minute sound piece?’ The resulting 12 sound pieces were the starting point of a new workshop in collaboration with Jan Willem Stas and 12 students of the Type and Media master coarse, The Hague, The Netherlands. Each student was allocated an (anonymously labelled) sound piece and their challenge was to ‘create a typeface inspired by the sound’. The results were quite a surprise! 1) Original typeface: Massive by Donald Beekman 2) Sound piece by Lena Hennig 3) Chinese whispered typeface by Marina Chaccur Listening to the sound, Marina felt really out of her element and had difficulties to start her project. She listened so many times that it felt a bit like a torture for her, listening over and over again. She tried to decompose the sound to understand what she was hearing. This resulted in a three layered proposal. After struggling with her designs she knew she had to step out of her comfort zone. Using the sound in separate parts didn’t work for her, so she restarted with the whole torture feeling; she thought of the sound being tortured and hurt. The idea rose to make a Frankenstein monster. By drawing with different materials she was able to make a monstrous font, and using her left hand to keep herself from having control. Cuts and stitches made the look complete. This resulted in two versions of the Frankenstein typeface. Both versions can be used together and the one without the cut can be used in smaller sizes. left: Massive by Donald Beekman, right: Chinese Whispered Massive by Marina Chaccur

November 2010 Typeradio held a two day workshop in cooperation with Indra Kupferschmid and 12 students of the Hochschule der Bildenden Künste (HBK Saar) in Saarbrücken, Germany. Each student was assigned a typeface designed by a Dutch designer with the question ‘How do you interpret the typeface into a one minute sound piece?’ The resulting 12 sound pieces were the starting point of a new workshop in collaboration with Jan Willem Stas and 12 students of the Type and Media master coarse, The Hague, The Netherlands. Each student was allocated an (anonymously labelled) sound piece and their challenge was to ‘create a typeface inspired by the sound’. The results were quite a surprise! 1) Original typeface: Pinup by Pieter van Rosmalen 2) Sound piece by Carmen Nistor 3) Chinese whispered typeface by Sun Jung Hwang Dita Von Teese, Moulin Rouge, Burlesque are just a few inspirational terms that Sun got from her sound fragment. She thought of feminine curves, red high heels and layering in clothing and used these various elements as a starting point. The showing and stripping are the base components she focussed on while making the typeface. She teases the user by making a layered font, which can be stripped of it’s layers. Step by step. left: Pinup by Pieter van Rosmalen, right: Chinese Whispered Pinup by Sun Jung Hwang