Buta Huruf is a contemporary Jawi typeface inspired by the calligraphic styles of early Jawi publications in Singapore.
In an increasingly connected world, we have a wider access to different languages that are present to us in contexts in which we are unfamiliar with. This is especially true for languages that do not use the Latin script such as Jawi, the writing system for the Malay language. Despite Singaporeans’ familiarity with the Malay language, rarely do we see the usage of Jawi in daily life with the Rumi script being the official script. This absence is extended to type design, a realm in which Jawi is often overlooked. As a multilingual designer, I wanted to explore Jawi typography, a non-Latin script to design for the writing system with regards to its unique identity and as a way to gain a further understanding of my own cultural heritage.
Orchidaceae is a project rooted in Singapore’s strong relations with the orchid plant. Through the lens of a Singaporean narrative, this project delves into and documents the role of these perennial plants in our national history. The project features ‘agnes’, a refined font that blends the natural features of Singapore’s national flower, the Vanda Miss Joaquim, with practical legibility. It is named after the orchid’s creator and is well-suited for use in prominent areas of posters or headers, as well as smaller body text. This adaptable typeface is offered in three weights, ranging from light to bold, and in a regular italic style.
This project is a type specimen of Avenir, inspired by Adrian Frutiger’s humanistic approach to geometrical precision in designing this classic typeface. Frutiger began by crafting the letter ‘O’ first, by hand, which appears to be an optically perfect circle from afar but made slight tweaks to certain angles such that it is in fact an imperfect circle. The rest of the letters and symbols were then designed based on the geometry of the letter ‘O’. The type specimen combines mathematical elements with the human touch of “fill in the blanks” worksheets as a tribute to its design methodology.
In modern society, brands and companies leverage on impulsive behaviours of consumers to sell their products. Luxury brands in particular, produce ordinary items disguised as “premium” products, then marking them up to exuberant prices. The ever obedient consumer can only wait by his wallet, ready to purchase the next big thing, whatever it may be. This breeds the social psychological problem of Affluenza, also known as “extreme materialism”.
A commentary on the absurdity of consumerism today, this project aims to help the viewer view spending from an objective, third person’s point of view. Infused with a sense of irony, it hopes to inspire more reflection on one’s “ridiculous” purchases, and perhaps a tighter grip on their wallet in the future.
The project will feature advertising styles of the 1800s, mainly encapsulating their nature of irony and deceit. This old school way of advertising ceases to exist in society today (or at least in ways which are far less succinct), as advertisers are more subtle with words they use due to increasing regulations tackling misrepresentation.
Typography plays a part in shaping a nation’s identity. Stories are told through typography around us that create a sense of place of where we live. The everyday street type displays many letterings that carry stories of significant change and occurrence at the place, to be preserved before they are lost or replaced by the uniformity of corporate brands. Thus, this project seeks to explore Singapore’s history and urban culture through the lens of typography, contributing towards the visual identity landscape of Singapore.
