[Fwd: TCDC 2003: Announcing the birth of Twin(s)]

July 16, 2003

Type: discussion

—————————- Original Message —————————-
Subject: TCDC 2003: Announcing the birth of Twin(s)
From: "Design Institute" <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, July 16, 2003 11:10 am
To: [email protected]
————————————————————————–

Minneapolis, July 16, 2003

Ever heard of a typeface that changes with the wind? or the
temperature? or the traffic?

We've just delivered it!
http://design.umn.edu/go/project/TCDC03.1.TTC

After many months of labor, the DI is proud to announce the birth of
"Twin" - a new typeface specially commissioned as part of the Twin Cities
Design Celebration 2003, which is supported by a generous gift from Target
Corporation.
http://design.umn.edu/go/to/TCDC

In Summer 2002, we launched the "Typeface: Twin Cities" project by
inviting six up-and-coming typographers to answer the following
question:
Can a typeface effectively communicate the character of a city?
by proposing a new typeface expressly for the Twin Cities of
Minneapolis and St Paul.

This Saturday morning, July 19th, at a special session of TypeCon
2003 at the Radisson Plaza hotel in Minneapolis, the conceptual
proposals will be presented by typographers

* Peter Bil'ak (Peter Bil'ak Design and Typography, The Hague,
Netherlands) * Erik van Blokland and Just van Rossum (LettError, The
Hague,
Haarlem, Netherlands)
* Gilles Gavillet and David Rust (Optimo, Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland) *
Sybille Hagmann (Kontour, Houston, TX)
* Conor Mangat (Inflection, Kentfield, CA) and
* Eric Olson (Process Type Foundry, St. Paul, MN)

And the commissioned DI Fellows, Erik van Blokland and Just van
Rossum of LettError, will discuss the development of the chosen font, the
infinitely-mutable "Twin."

Not just a single typeface, "Twin" has spawned a multiple birth: ten print
fonts and an online version, capable of taking in data from the Twin
Cities via the Web, and changing shape on-the-fly in response to dynamic
urban conditions.

The Design Institute is proud to partner with the Society of
Typographic Afficianados (SOTA) on TypeCon2003. Our special
'mini-SOTA' session starts at 10.30 am and will be introduced by DI
director Janet Abrams and Typeface: Twin Cities project manager
Deborah Littlejohn.

http://www.typecon2003.com/umditypefacetc.cfm
http://www.typecon2003.com/programsched.cfm

* READ THIS BOOK!
Metro Letters - a 160-page book documenting the Typeface: Twin Cities
project, edited and designed by Deborah Littlejohn, published by the DI,
price $29.95. Featuring all six proposals, interviews with the invited
typographers, full development of "Twin," jury comments, and essays by
design educators Michael Worthington and Gail Swanlund.

* EAT THIS FONT!
ChocoLetters - take a bite out of our limited edition chocolate
alphabets of "Twin" with two boxed sets to choose from: one spells "TCDC
2003", the other is a composite alphabet made up of letters
from all 10 variations of "Twin." Manufactured expressly for the
Design Institute by Minneapolis bespoke confectioner B.T. McElrath.

Both are available for sale from July 19th. Orders accepted by email to
[email protected] with Metro Letters and/or ChocoLetters in the
Subject.

The Design Institute gratefully acknowledges additional support for this
special TypeCon conference session, and towards the publication of "Metro
Letters," from the Consulate General of the Netherlands, New York, and the
Mondriaan Foundation, Amsterdam.

And don't forget:
* MATTHEW CARTER GIVES TYPECON/WALKER LECTURE TOMORROW
Thursday July 17 at 7pm, free
In conjunction with TypeCon2003, Matthew Carter, maestro of
typography and creator of the Walker Art Center's custom typeface in 1995,
joins Andrew Blauvelt, WAC Design Director and curator of its current
exhibition, "Strangely Familiar: Design and Everyday Life" (through
September 7, 2003), in conversation at 7pm.
Walker Art Center, Vineland Place, Minneapolis.
Info: http://www.walkerart.org 612 375 7622

Design Institute
http://design.umn.edu / 612 625 3373 / [email protected]
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