part i
dismiss, failed ...neglected David Brooks Can type be local? Can a typeface really represent a place, a community and its heritage? This is the challenge that I faced. B42 is a typeface I have created for Perry Barr, an inner city area in north Birmingham, England. A community that has been let down and forgotten by the government, an area left to fall into disrepair. And now Perry Barr is being failed again with the proposed departure of its biggest asset, the Birmingham City University campus.
B42
dismiss
neglected Perry Barr is a very neglected area in north Birmingham. It has been left to go into disrepair due to lack of funding and numerous development projects falling through. An incomplete promotional billboard “Be a star in Perry ...” summing up the current sad state of the Perry Barr and the area has gained a bad reputation due to it’s look of deteriation, but the strong, bold multi-cultural community that resides in Perry Barr does not deserve this reputation. B42
fight or flight Birmingham City University has been a major asset with it’s main campus being situated in Perry Barr. It’s students bring money to Perry Barr’s economy through housing and shopping. But now there are plans to relocate the Universities campus to the city centre. Without it’s biggest asset will Perry Barr fall deeper into disrepair, will it’s strong community be able to continue with this major blow.
B42
Inspiration Neglect has taken inspiration from a range of elements from the Perry Barr area. The incomplete serifs and different typeface styles in different states of completion symbolise the deteriation and disrepair that has gone on.
B42
Meg Rosoff
AB C Neglect has bold slab serifs and a consistant line width to represent the strong, solid community at Perry Barr but has incomplete serifs to symbolise the urban neglect that has gone on. The typeface comes in three different styles, each slightly less complete, allowing the user to combined them to create words and sentances that have been left to ruin. This is a community and a typeface that has fallen into disrepair.
B42
failed
bold
half
outline
neglected