2017 Winner
Typeface Design
Qandus
Qandus
Category—Typeface Design
2017 Winner
Typeface Design
Qandus
Designer(s)
Kristyan Sarkis, Lebanon/Amsterdam (Arabic), Laura Meseguer, Barcelona (Latin), Juan Luis Blanco, Zumaia, Spain (Tifinagh)
Additional Credits
CURATOR: Khatt Foundation, Amsterdam
TYPE FOUNDRIES: TPTQ Arabic, Netherlands (Multiscript), Type-Ø-Tones, Spain (Latin)
CONCEPT:
Qandus is a multiscript typeface system that explores a conceptual relationship between three writing systems: Arabic, Latin, and Tifinagh. Although it started as an homage to the work of brilliant calligrapher Al-Qandusi, it expanded to become a study of the unique mixture of Arabic constructions (solid versus fluid) in the Maghribi calligraphic style, and an exploration of how to disseminate this feature of duality of forms into the other two scripts. The concept was to design three styles that go beyond the difference in weight and highlight the mixture of solid and fluid forms differently depending on the intended texture, overall character, and available space. From Regular to Dark, letterforms change drastically in structure, proportions, contrast behavior, and the writing/drawing ratio involved. The Qandus multiscript family was developed as part of the Typographic Matchmaking in the Maghrib project.