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GENIUS LUCI Typeface

Octave Cusinberche

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Dry stone wall builder from Auvergne, France, I recently integrated my stone work into my graphic design practice at Central Saint Martins.

With my previous and current projects, I am exploring the boundary between architecture and graphic design through the lens of stone letter carving.

By recontextualizing traditional stone carving in our present, I aim to reconnect the past of this material with our future.

Dry stone wall builder from Auvergne, France, I recently integrated my stone work into my graphic...

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GENIUS LUCI Typeface

Research question: How can traditional letter-carving in stone informs both long lasting communication and modern digital typeface creation? 

As a dry stone wall builder from the French countryside, I aimed to merge my stonework with my visual practice during my last year at Central Saint Martins. I developed and designed Genius Luci, a typeface that explores the potential relationship between traditional letter carving and modern-day technologies, as well as the boundary between architecture and graphic design.

This project began when I noticed, through my research and discussions, the lack of cultural development in the craft of letter carving in stone throughout the 20th century to today. Through Genius Luci, I attempt to re-contextualise this craft in our present and reconnect the past of this material with our future.

Genius Luci is a monotype that, once carved in stone, always displays an even amount of shadow in its form relative to the position of a light source. This typeface is an experimental project consisting of three interconnected outcomes. The first is a typeface that works as a regular digital font. The second is a traditionally hand-carved specimen of this typeface in a slab of Portland limestone. The third is a variable digital version of Genius Luci that transcribes the motion of shadows within the traditionally incised letters. This creates a balanced dialogue between two opposing mediums, where the traditional craft informs the digital medium and vice versa.

I developed a thorough process of prototypes, feedback, and iterations that guided my work and decisions throughout the process. Additionally, I had the opportunity to exchange ideas with professionals from the architecture and design fields, which significantly helped to contextualise my project. This not only advanced my work but also helped to situate my practice within architectural graphic design, a domain I wish to pursue further. Genius Luci is a speculative project built upon the potential future re-emergence of stone combined with the trending variable typeface technology. By its nature, it proposes to lay the first brick in a new era of architectural graphic design.

Finally, I would like to add that Genius Luci acts as a beacon of our era, providing answers for both heritage conservation and durability in the choice of materials we use.

Final work

Genius Luci, is a typeface designed to be carved in stone and react to external lightning. I replaced Loci (the place) with Luci which means ‘light’ i

Digital typeface specimen

Genius Luci, is a typeface designed to be carved in stone and react to external lightning. I replaced Loci (the place) with Luci which means ‘light’ in Latin. Hence, my typeface’s name can be translated as ‘Spirit of Light.’

The typeface is a monotype that can fit in a perfect square, and the letter’s outlines are in contact each time on at least three sides of the square, in order to always display an even number of shadows once carved in stone. I tried to alternate sharp angles with round corners, to create interesting and diverse shadow shapes. 

Outcome of Genius Luci hand carved in Portland limestone, 30x55cm

Hand carved typeface specimen

Outcome of Genius Luci hand carved in Portland limestone, 30x55cm

Shadows animation

A video showcasing the motion of shadows within the engraved Genius Luci as a light source moves around the slabs. The movement of shadows enhances Genius Luci, bringing a three-dimensional aspect that informs the digital type.

Interactive outcome & speculative project

From the video shot of the engraved stone, I developed and designed a variable version of Genius Luci that captures and represents the motion of shadows created by the full rotation of light around the carved stone.

My outcome is an interactive piece, allowing the user to manipulate the variable either with a sensor-tracked hand or simply with the mouse cursor, both of which are considered to be the presumed source of light on the stone.

At term, this font aims to question the language of software design, as the user would not choose between thin, italic or bold but rather with the sun’s position as North, South, West or East and work with the light angle that is the most suitable for his work.

Research and process

Hand carving process

Hand carving process

Typeface specimen

Typeface specimen

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GENIUS LUCI Typeface

GENIUS LUCI TypefaceResearch question: How can traditional letter-carving in stone informs both long lasting communication and modern digital typeface creation? As a dry stone wall builder from the French countryside...

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