“The Foundry”
Innovative font design now exclusively distributed through Monotype:
“The Foundry” typeface library of David Quay and Freda Sack
The fonts sold under “The Foundry” label exhibit a unique combination of traditional and modern approaches to typeface design. Monotype has recently obtained the right to the exclusive distribution of the work of the two Britons David Quay and Freda Sack and other designers. Reason enough for us to take a closer look at the font library of “The Foundry”.
The typeface design careers of David Quay and Freda Sack began almost 25 years ago. Starting with just two digital fonts, the partners founded their business in 1989/90 under the name “The Foundry”. Their library now consists of a large collection of well supported fonts in very different styles. David and Freda can draw on experience dating back to the days of lead type; they witnessed the beginnings of digital font technology and have a high level of manual skills, attributes that ensure their font designs are both original and of particularly high quality. The partners find a lot of inspiration for their work through their dialogue with other designers around the world. Nothing makes them happier than when someone sends them an elegant example of “The Foundry” fonts in use – and luckily, this is something that happens relatively often.
All the fonts of “The Foundry” are state-of-the-art in technological terms, fully implemented in OpenType format, are available as web fonts and can also be used for apps, eBooks and servers. But take a look for yourself; we are certain you will be impressed by the design and technical quality of their typefaces.
The roots of Foundry Origin go back to the slab serifs known as Egyptienne. Classical proportions, a large x-height, an expressive italic and wide range of different stroke weights make this font ideal for use in editorial environments.
As the second font developed by “The Foundry”, Foundry Sans is one of the oldest typefaces in the library. This sans serif is derived from the forms of the Renaissance antiqua Garamond, whereby rounded punctuation marks and, in some cases, bevelled line terminals give this extensive family additional dynamism.
The geometrical forms of Architype Albers are reminiscent of the design language of the Modernist styles of the 1920s. The lack of proper counters accentuates the geometrical and stencil-like character of this font.
The serif typeface Architype Bayer-type is based on an alphabet designed by Herbert Bayer. This lowercase-only font has been constructed using a standardised geometrical grid as template.
This typeface was originally designed by Herbert Bayer for internal use within the Bauhaus school but the actual font was never produced. Architype Bayer with its exclusively lowercase letters has a markedly geometrical and synthetic appearance.
A number of the letters created by Max Bill for a poster in 1949 are the origin of Architype Bill. With the exception of the ’o’, all the characters are constructed from only straight lines and triangles.
This font derives from the phonetic experiments of Kurt Schwitters, who created an alphabet in which he attempted to amalgamate sound and form. For this purpose, he made the vowels for the Architype Schwitters bolder and rounder than the other letters.
The monolinear and geometrical Architype Tschichold was designed by Jan Tschichold during his Bauhaus-inspired phase and includes certain experimental forms and phonetic letters that are typical of the period.
This stencil font Foundry Fabriek is assembled from fragments, a design concept that exhibits similarities with industrial production, in which many components are put together to form a whole. There are five different weights that have almost identical character widths and that provide the designer with a wealth of options.
Foundry Form Serif has been designed as a text font. Very open counters and a generous x-height ensure that this font remains legible even in small point sizes. With its genuine italic, oldstyle figures and small caps, it has everything necessary for those discerning design concepts.
Conceived as a pendant to the Foundry Form Serif font family, the letters of Foundry Form Sans have an identical basic structure with a complimentary x-height and stroke weights. The neutral-seeming glyphs retain an individual, timeless character. Used in combination with Foundry Form Serif, this super family is ideal for major projects, such as corporate design concepts.
The new Foundry Gridnik typeface family features an expressive range of 10 weights – from Light to Extra Bold, each with accompanying Italics. Foundry Gridnik was developed from the single weight monospaced, ’typewriter’ face, originally created by Dutch designer Wim Crouwel in the 1960s. Crouwel’s devotion to grids and systems led to his affectionate nickname of ‘Mr Gridnik’, and this inspired the typeface family name. Foundry Gridnik’s distinct geometric design has been described as ‘the thinking man’s Courier’. Crouwel said, ‘I am a functionalist troubled by aesthetics’, and although Gridnik is based on logic, rationality and strict adherence to the grid, it also has a human dimension that sets it apart.
The name of the typeface – Foundry Journal – says it all. This extensive sans serif font with its condensed forms and clear outlines that remain legible even in smaller point sizes is ideal, for example, for setting longer texts in magazines and other publications.
The superellipse is the underlying design element behind the open and well-defined forms of Foundry Monoline with its contemporary, technological appearance and its touch of elegance. This extensive font family is available in numerous different weights, each with matching italic, and can be used both for logo design and setting longer texts.
The forms of Foundry Sterling are reduced to the essentials, giving the font a particular and modernistic appearance. The more rounded letter forms used for the italic styles provide these with a very friendly and sympathetic feel.
Below you will find profiles of a selection of the fonts of “The Foundry”.
Foundry Origin
The roots of Foundry Origin go back to the slab serifs known as Egyptienne. Classical proportions, a large x-height, an expressive italic and wide range of different stroke weights make this font ideal for use in editorial environments.
Foundry Sans
As the second font developed by “The Foundry”, Foundry Sans is one of the oldest typefaces in the library. This sans serif is derived from the forms of the Renaissance antiqua Garamond, whereby rounded punctuation marks and, in some cases, bevelled line terminals give this extensive family additional dynamism.
Architype Albers
The geometrical forms of Architype Albers are reminiscent of the design language of the Modernist styles of the 1920s. The lack of proper counters accentuates the geometrical and stencil-like character of this font.
Architype Bayer-type
The serif typeface Architype Bayer-type is based on an alphabet designed by Herbert Bayer. This lowercase-only font has been constructed using a standardised geometrical grid as template.
Architype Bayer
This typeface was originally designed by Herbert Bayer for internal use within the Bauhaus school but the actual font was never produced. Architype Bayer with its exclusively lowercase letters has a markedly geometrical and synthetic appearance.
Architype Bill
A number of the letters created by Max Bill for a poster in 1949 are the origin of Architype Bill. With the exception of the ’o’, all the characters are constructed from only straight lines and triangles.
Architype Schwitters
This font derives from the phonetic experiments of Kurt Schwitters, who created an alphabet in which he attempted to amalgamate sound and form. For this purpose, he made the vowels for the Architype Schwitters bolder and rounder than the other letters.
Architype Tschichold
The monolinear and geometrical Architype Tschichold was designed by Jan Tschichold during his Bauhaus-inspired phase and includes certain experimental forms and phonetic letters that are typical of the period.
Foundry Fabriek
This stencil font Foundry Fabriek is assembled from fragments, a design concept that exhibits similarities with industrial production, in which many components are put together to form a whole. There are five different weights that have almost identical character widths and that provide the designer with a wealth of options.
Foundry Form Serif
Foundry Form Serif has been designed as a text font. Very open counters and a generous x-height ensure that this font remains legible even in small point sizes. With its genuine italic, oldstyle figures and small caps, it has everything necessary for those discerning design concepts.
Foundry Form Sans
Conceived as a pendant to the Foundry Form Serif font family, the letters of Foundry Form Sans have an identical basic structure with a complimentary x-height and stroke weights. The neutral-seeming glyphs retain an individual, timeless character. Used in combination with Foundry Form Serif, this super family is ideal for major projects, such as corporate design concepts.
Foundry Gridnik
The new Foundry Gridnik typeface family features an expressive range of 10 weights – from Light to Extra Bold, each with accompanying Italics. Foundry Gridnik was developed from the single weight monospaced, ’typewriter’ face, originally created by Dutch designer Wim Crouwel in the 1960s. Crouwel’s devotion to grids and systems led to his affectionate nickname of ‘Mr Gridnik’, and this inspired the typeface family name. Foundry Gridnik’s distinct geometric design has been described as ‘the thinking man’s Courier’. Crouwel said, ‘I am a functionalist troubled by aesthetics’, and although Gridnik is based on logic, rationality and strict adherence to the grid, it also has a human dimension that sets it apart.
Foundry Journal
The name of the typeface – Foundry Journal – says it all. This extensive sans serif font with its condensed forms and clear outlines that remain legible even in smaller point sizes is ideal, for example, for setting longer texts in magazines and other publications.
Foundry Monoline
The superellipse is the underlying design element behind the open and well-defined forms of Foundry Monoline with its contemporary, technological appearance and its touch of elegance. This extensive font family is available in numerous different weights, each with matching italic, and can be used both for logo design and setting longer texts.
Foundry Sterling
The forms of Foundry Sterling are reduced to the essentials, giving the font a particular and modernistic appearance. The more rounded letter forms used for the italic styles provide these with a very friendly and sympathetic feel.