Aerodynamics aren’t typically examined within the typography space since there’s theoretically no need for typography to worry about the subtleties of airflow. But aerodynamics also correlate with balance, the inevitable flow of things that could easily include letters and words. You can find a beautiful typographic depiction of aerodynamics in Aeroko, a new typeface designed by freelance type designer Krista Radoeva and the Monotype Studio.
Aeroko is an ideal typeface for technology, transportation, and sports spaces. It’s strong and assertive, but still has an attitude dripping with quiet confidence. Unlike a technology-inspired typeface that often takes influence from 8-bit design, Aeroko is smoother, more sleek, ideal for modern design wanting a nuanced industrial touch.
The typeface comes in four display weights and three widths, facilitating a vast potential for various uses.
Monotype today introduced Aeroko, a boxy and solid typeface geared toward high performance brands from sports to energy and transportation. Designed by freelance type designer, Krista Radoeva, and the Monotype Studio, Aeroko offers designers and creatives a new expressive typeface to convey a sporting grit and aggression in the form of a sans that also flexes when and where it’s needed.
“Designing a typeface for the sports genre, I challenged myself to define what are the shapes that express confidence, high energy and power, but also keep an amiable feel,” says Radoeva. “We explored ideas around aerodynamic forms and how to interpret that into letterforms. We played around with the balance between roundness and squareness, which is also something evocative of Scandinavian design. Still, we wanted it to have a certain human touch, so we played with the contrast, we introduced some cuts and thin strokes and we pushed the proportions to the extremes. There is a competitive feel to it, actively encouraging you to be courageous and daring with type in your own way.”
Aeroko is powered by four display weights and three widths as well as a two-axes variable font. The forms are boxed and solid from condensed to wide, and they provide a distinct contrast when paired with rounder text fonts for use in strong brand headlines. The power of variable font technology enables a wide range of typographic scale and expression.
“Aeroko is a fresh, utile and adaptive voice that hits our global zeitgeist for inventive variable brands and generative design,” adds Phil Garnham, Creative Type Director at Monotype. “We’re seeing trends emerge heading into 2023 that balance the weighting of square and soft forms, modular and organic typefaces that have a demeanor, an arresting disposition. We are seeing type that sparks but also empathizes, type that calls and whispers. Aeroko plays well to our future selves in this respect — it has both a thoughtful and striking voice.”
