Univers
Adrian Frutiger 1957
Typeface Speicmen Book
Univers “The new Linotype Univers is, on the whole, better than most other versions, but to be frank I find it a little exaggerated to develop such a huge family.” — Adrian Frutiger
Adrian Frutiger 1957 Deberny & Peigont Grotesque sans serif 66 Weights Numerical system Linotype Swiss style
History Univers was designed by Adrian Frutiger and released by Deberny and Peigont in 1957. Univers was based on the 1898‘s AkzidenzGrotesk model.
Univers is a grotesque sans-serif typeface that in the Swiss Modernist style. Univers is the French for universe It was originally named as “monde” and only 20 weights. It was reworked in 1997.
Univers was designed as a full system of fonts with a wide range of weights with the same design principles and visual aesthetic. It was the first typeface in which the weights were classified with a numerical system. It consists of 44 different faces, with 16 uniquely numbered weight, width, position combinations.
AB CDE F GH I J K L MN O 72pt Univers 55 Roman
P QR S T U VWX Y Z
“I determined the regular weight of Univers together with Emil Ruder. He was a great help to me. We looked at it in the reduction and discussed it for a long time, how the width should be in relation to height and white space. He’d written his corrections, like opening the counters, on card in the final artwork. That’s how Univers was made, after many constructive discussions with Emil Ruder. Univers 55 is my most successful ‘Medium’.” — Adrian Frutiger
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r stuvwxyz
1
2
3
“I made the numerals narrow on purpose. Their character widths vary in the hot metal version, but for Lumitype photosetting they’re all 10 units. This is most noticeable with the zero, which is impossible to confuse with the O. My numerals were always narrower than the uppercase alphabet. This is also the case with classic typefaces, apart from old style
4
5
6
numerals, of course. On Lumitype we only had lining figures to start with because there wasn’t enough room on the Lumitype disk. So there was only one 1. Monotype made an alternative narrow version with less side bearing.” — Adrian Frutiger
7
8
9
0
48pt Univers 55 Roman
GK 300 pt Univers 55 Roman
KQ “I constructed Univers on a horizontal vertical axis. That was my starting point. All the different weights of width and boldness came from this cross, even the terminals fit inside in.”
— Adrian Frutiger
Characteristics varied width in bowl
dot wider than stem
The t is an exception. The t arc ends vertically rather than horizontally. All letters with a tight radius have this ending, that’s f j r and t. The slanted cut of the t demonstrates my respect for writing with a pen. I never liked it horizontal, a t is not a cross.
dramatically slanted stem drift away from vertical
250 pt Univers 55 Roman
cj horizontal end terminals
“I was aware that in the regular weight a diagonal, classic curved end would have been nicer, but I wanted to make 21 weights and I couldn’t cut the narrow weights diagonally, it just didn’t look good. The horizontal ending was a matter of consistency for me, with respectto the whole font family.“
tight radius vertical descender
ky diagonal strokes meet at stem
substle angle shift
Univers has horizontal terminals at the ends of the curves like uncials.
250 pt Univers 55 Roman
weights
39 Thin Ultra Condensed 45 Light
45 Light Oblique
47 Light Condensed
47 Light Condensed Oblique
49 Light Ultra Condensed 59 Ultra Condensed
53 Extended
53 Extended Oblique
55 Roman
55 Oblique
57 Condensed
57 Condensed Oblique
63 Bold Extended
63 Bold Extended Oblique
65 Bold
65 Bold Oblique
67 Bold Condensed
67 Bold Condensed Oblique
73 Black Extended
73 Black Extended Oblique
75 Black
75 Black Oblique
85 Extra Black
85 Extra Black Oblique
93 Extra Black Extended
93 Extra Black Extended Oblique
“You may ask why so many different typefaces. They all serve the same purpose but they express mans diversity. It is the same diversity we find in wine. I once saw a list of Médoc wines featuring sixty different Médocs all of the same year. All of them were wines but each was different.” —Adrian Frutiger
u u u u u u uu u u u u u uu u u u u uu u u u u uu
7 â „ 9 pt Univers 55 Roman
Think of it as a Swiss design with a French heart. As its weight increases, this personality becomes more apparent. The slight contrast in stroke weight, subtle angularity, and just the smallest hint of calligraphic brush stroke make Univers is a typeface with a twinkle in its eye.
8 â „ 10 pt Univers 55 Roman
Think of it as a Swiss design with a French heart. As its weight increases, this personality becomes more apparent. The slight contrast in stroke weight, subtle angularity, and just the smallest hint of calligraphic brush stroke make Univers is a typeface with a twinkle in its eye.
9 â „ 11 pt Univers 55 Roman
Think of it as a Swiss design with a French heart. As its weight increases, this personality becomes more apparent. The slight contrast in stroke weight, subtle angularity, and just the smallest hint of calligraphic brush stroke make Univers is a typeface with a twinkle in its eye.
Think of it as a Swiss design with a French heart. As its weight increases, this personality becomes more apparent. The slight contrast in stroke weight, subtle angularity, and just the smallest hint of calligraphic brush stroke make Univers is a typeface with a twinkle in its eye.
Think of it as a Swiss design with a French heart. As its weight increases, this personality becomes more apparent. The slight contrast in stroke weight, subtle angularity, and just the smallest hint of calligraphic brush stroke make Univers is a typeface with a twinkle in its eye.
Think of it as a Swiss design with a French heart. As its weight increases, this personality becomes more apparent. The slight contrast in stroke weight, subtle angularity, and just the smallest hint of calligraphic brush stroke make Univers is a typeface with a twinkle in its eye.
8 â „ 10 pt Univers 45 Light
8 â „ 10 pt Univers 55 Oblique
8 â „ 10 pt Univers 65 Bold
Bibliography Osterer, Heidrun, and Philipp Stamm. Adrian Frutiger Typefaces: The Complete Works. Birkhauser, 2008. Print. Christensen, Thomas. “The Typehead Chronicles.” Typeface:Univers. N.p.. Web. 9 Mar 2013. <http://www.rightreading.com/typehead/univers.htm>. “Fonts.com.” Univers. N.p.. Web. 9 Mar 2013. <http://www.fonts.com/font/linotype/univers>.
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Univers