Schrift und Identität

_Orientation through design
_Role of typeface as a functional and cultural design element.
_Analysis of international examples from rail, tram, and transport systems
_Contribution to the understanding of graphic design, architecture, and mobility in public spaces

Is there a "French" typeface? Or are certain typefaces more common in England than in Eastern Europe? Is there even a connection between typefaces and national identity? Even if there are typefaces that are internationally successful—for example, the unjustly maligned Helvetica, Frutiger, or Times—there are differences in the way this element of design is handled. Typeface and Identity focuses very closely on traffic signage. These, at their best, small graphic works of art are an expression of national identity, as they shape the image in public spaces.

The visitor's first glance falls on the street sign, the display at the airport, or the information board at the train station—in short, on public business cards. Examples from all over the world have been collected here, assuming they use Latin script. The illustrations are a collage—sometimes symbols and pictograms have been removed from their context, sometimes they have been reproduced unchanged. For all designers who deal with type, color, arrows, and pictograms, and for planners of wayfinding systems, Typeface and Identity is an instructive picture book.