Type Foundry: Deberny & Peignot type foundry
Created in 1957
Classification: Neo-Grotesque sans-serif
Historical context
Around the 1950's Paris was a city trying to recover from the damage left from World War II, even tho the city hadn't received too much physical damage it was still struggling until the early 60's with the guerrilla in French Indochina and the Algeria war. Still the city was the host of many transcendental events in history such as the 1957 Paris summit. Such conference brought the members, leaders of nations together, this event was a crucial crossroads in the relationships between France and The United States of America. This same year was the year when Adrian Frutiger created Univers, in a moment where not just France but the whole world was fighting to reinstitute order and peace for the people. One could say that Univers is the result of the influential social scene in Paris having an effect on Frutiger's creativity and conceptual thought.
Adrian Frutiger : Background
Adrian Frutiger is best known as a type-designer. He has produced some of the most well known and widely used typefaces. He was born in 1928 in Interlaken, Switzerland, and by the age of 16 was working as a printer's apprentice near his home town. Following this he moved to Zurich where he studied at the Zurich School of Arts and Crafts, under Professor Walter Kach.
After his education in Zurich, Frutiger moved to Paris where he started to work at the Deberny & Peignot typefoundry. Here he helped the foundry move classic typefaces used with traditional printing methods to newer phototypesetting technologies.
At the same time Frutiger started to design his own typefaces, a few of which became very significant, and this earned him his status as a great type designer.
Today his typefaces are readily available from a number of different foundries. Aside from his typefaces he has also contributed to the design and typography world by transmuting his knowledge through the many books that he has produced and the
Univers and its personality (usage)
Some of its most important characteristics are: More stroke modulation than Helvetica, squaring of round strokes. The Two-storied a is the mod distinctive letter, with a straight back, no baseline curl, and a perpendicular connection at the top of the bowl. G lacks Helvetica's spur and the diagonal strokes of the k meet at the stem. Some feel that the modulated strokes give it a bit more character than Helvetica. It was the first typeface in which weights were classified with a numerical system. The lighter weights, especially 45, have even color and can be used to set continuous text.
Univers has a somewhat smaller x-height than Helvetica, and the base font sets a little wider.
Although Univers doesn't mix well with other sans serifs it goes well with a range of serifed fonts –– perhaps best with "transition;" fonts such as Baskerville.
Univers has been employed in numerous applications including corporate branding, signage, maps, standardized testing and consumer electronics devices. Apple used Univers on its laptop keyboards until switching to the VAG Rounded™ typeface in 2007. Univers is used in tandem with Frutiger in the Bay Area Rapid Transit system, as well as being the primary typeface used by Germany‘s Frankfurt International Airport and the Montreal Metro System. Rand McNally used Univers to label maps and atlases before switching to the Frutiger® design in 2004. Univers is used on tests and exams in the UK, preferred for the clear distinction between similar characters such as I and 1.
Quote
Think of it as a Swiss design with a French heart. As its weight increases, this personality becomes more apparent. The slight (but clearly visible) contrast in stroke weight, subtle angularity, and just the smallest hint of calligraphic brush stroke make Univers a typeface with a twinkle in its eye."
— Allan Haley
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