For this project, we were given the opportunity to work on a brief set by the International Society of Typographic Designers (ISTD), which challenged us to create a project that would deepen our engagement with the craft of typography while also developing a strong understanding of the technical aspects of production. The goal was to push the boundaries of typography beyond just aesthetics and explore how it can be used as a tool for storytelling, communication, and emotional impact.
We were presented with three thematic briefs to choose from:
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How Sustainable Is It? – Exploring the role of typography in addressing sustainability and environmental concerns.
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Mapping the World – Investigating how typography can visualize and interpret geographical, social, or personal data.
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The Spaces Between – Examining the concept of space, both physical and metaphorical, and how typography interacts with it.
I chose "The Spaces Between" because the idea of space, or the lack thereof, really compelled me. Space is something deeply personal—everyone values their own sense of space differently, and the topic itself is incredibly broad, spanning everything from physical spaces to emotional and psychological spaces. Within this theme, I decided to focus on claustrophobia, a condition that resonates with many people. The feeling of being trapped, whether physically in a confined space or mentally in an overwhelming situation, evokes strong emotions. Claustrophobia is a fear that many experience, as tight, enclosed spaces can trigger anxiety and a sense of helplessness. This made it a powerful and relatable subject to explore through typography.
By delving into this theme, I aimed to use typography as a visual and emotional tool to communicate the intensity of claustrophobia. Through my design choices, I sought to create an immersive experience that captures the psychological and physical aspects of feeling trapped, using spacing, compression, and typographic distortion to enhance the message. This approach allowed me to experiment with typography in a way that is not only functional but also thought-provoking and emotionally engaging.
