City Grids: Research by Design

For this research by design studio we have joined forces with Loes van Esch and Simone Trum Team Thursday – a graphic design studio from Rotterdam that also developed the visual identity of the Independent School for the City.

In these two-day workshop you will create typography out of found forms and shapes in the city. We will focus on Rotterdam Central District – the area in which the School is located and which is about to change radically of the coming decade. The workshop will result in the presentation of your font in a typographical poster containing a slogan or statement based on your observations on site.

Typography can be found in everything. The city is filled with grids that can form the base for letterforms. A whole alphabet can be made of restforms in between buildings, window grids on skyscrapers, pavements, tram lines. A grid can be a line system, but a structure like a tree can also function as an underlying grid.

We go out on a discovery tour in the city. Find grids, shapes, systems that fascinate you and translate these into lettershapes. This can either be an alphabet made out of found shapes, or found materials turned into a tool to make letters. The font should consist of a slogan or statement based on your observations on site. It’s important that the letters form a series together. There should be a clear connection between the letterforms you’ve selected.

Workshop Programme

Friday 3 November

10:00 – 10:30 Welcome and Introduction
10:30 – 11:00 Lecture by TT + Conversation
11:00 – 14:00 Walk around RCD Area, observe and make pictures
14:00 – 16:00 Organise and develop first concept for font and slogan/statement
16:00 – 17:00 Present first concept + conversation and feedback

Saturday 4 November

10:00 – 12:00 Additional research / further development of concept
12:00 – 13:00 Tutoring round by Team Thursday
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch Break
14:00 – 16:00 Finalise font and slogan/statement
16:00 – 17:00 Present the posters