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| Category | Sans-serif |
|---|---|
| Classification | Geometric sans-serif Humanist sans-serif |
| Designer(s) | Adrian Frutiger |
| Foundry | Linotype GmbH |
| Date released | 1988 |
Avenir is a geometric sans-serif typeface designed by Adrian Frutiger in 1988 and released by Linotype GmbH, now a subsidiary of Monotype Corporation.
The word avenir is French for "future". The font takes inspiration from the early geometric sans-serif typefaces Erbar (1922), designed by Jakob Erbar, and Futura (1927), designed by Paul Renner. Frutiger intended Avenir to be a more organic, humanist interpretation of these highly geometric types. While similarities can be seen with Futura, the two-story lowercase a is more like Erbar, and also recalls Frutiger’s earlier namesake typeface, Frutiger.
Avenir was originally released in 1988 with three weights, each with a roman and oblique version, and used Frutiger's two-digit weight and width convention for names: 45 (book), 46 (book oblique), 55 (text weight), 56 (text weight oblique), 75 (bold), and 76 (bold oblique). The typeface family was later expanded to six weights, each with a roman and an oblique version.
Avenir Next
In 2004, Frutiger, together with Linotype's in-house type designer Akira Kobayashi, reworked the Avenir family to address on-screen display issues. The result was titled Avenir Next.
The initial release of the typeface family was increased to 24 fonts: six weights, each with a roman and italic version, in two widths (normal and condensed). Frutiger's numbering system was abandoned in favor of more conventional weight names. The glyph set was expanded to include small caps, old-style figures, subscripts and superscripts, and ligatures.
Two extra font weights (light and thin) were added to the widest font width for the release of Avenir Next W1G, for a total of 28 fonts.
Janna
Janna is an Arabic variant designed by Nadine Chahine, based on the original Avenir. Janna, which means "heaven" in Arabic, was first designed in 2004 as a signage face for the American University of Beirut. The Arabic glyphs are based on the previously released Frutiger Arabic, but were made more angular.
Two roman fonts, in regular and bold weights, were produced. The typeface supports ISO Adobe 2, Latin Extended, Arabic, Persian, and Urdu characters, and tabular numerals for the supported languages.
Avenir Next W1G
It is a version of Avenir Next with support of Greek and Cyrillic texts.
The font family includes 16 fonts in 8 weights (ultralight, light, thin, regular, medium, demi, bold, heavy) and 1 width (based on normal width), with complementary italics. OpenType features include numerator and denominator, fractions, standard ligatures, lining and old-style figures, localized forms, scientific inferiors, subscript and superscript, and small caps.
Avenir Next Rounded (2012)
It is a version of Avenir Next with rounded terminals, designed by Akira Kobayashi and Sandra Winter.
The family includes 8 fonts in 4 weights (regular, medium, demi, and bold) and 1 width (based on normal width), with complementary italics. OpenType features include numerator and denominator, fractions, standard ligatures, lining and old-style figures, localized forms, scientific inferiors, subscript and superscript, and small caps.
Usage
- LG Electronics currently uses Avenir as the primary typeface for buttons on most of its cellular phones.
- Avenir was immediately successful in print publishing. An improvement of hinting in Avenir Next has made for improved on-screen display, even in smaller point sizes.
- The city of Amsterdam uses Avenir as the principal typeface in its corporate identity. The font was chosen when design bureau Eden Design & Communication won a citywide competition. Eden contracted Thonik for the new design.
- BBC Two has also begun to use Avenir as its main corporate font in its logo and identity, another shift away from the once universal use of Gill Sans across the BBC's material.
- Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Hong Kong International Airport use Avenir extensively as part of their way-finding signage and brand identity.
- Key Bank has begun using Avenir in its advertising and signage.
- Avenir 45 Book is used internally and externally throughout the Red Lion Hotel Corporation based in Spokane, Washington.
- Philadelphia-based SIG (Susquehanna International Group) uses Avenir as its main font for corporate identity and branding.
- Scottish Water uses Avenir as its main font for external communications and corporate branding.
- US-based electronics recycler Newport Computer Services has begun using Avenir as part of its logo and advertising.
- Avenir was used by the Japan Airlines group quite extensively, including for the words "Japan Airlines" painted on the sides of aircraft.
- Banrisul uses Avenir in its branding and advertising.
- Dwell magazine began using Avenir, along with the Greta typeface, in a 2007 redesign of its publication.
- In 2008, Wake Forest University adopted Avenir as its primary sans-serif typeface as part of a project to update the university's visual identity, noting that the font "conveys the balance, simplicity and strength of our University."
- Avenir is used by the Eurovision Song Contest in all its brand communication materials.
- J. J. Abrams' 2011 film Super 8 uses Avenir for its titles.
- Tower Bank in Fort Wayne, Indiana uses Avenir as the primary font for billboards and printed materials.
- The AT&T logo as of late 2005 uses Avenir. The font is also used in the company's advertising.
- Carleton University in Ottawa uses Avenir alongside Egyptienne as a primary font in its visual identity.
- The College of Charleston uses Avenir Next as its primary sans-serif typeface, as described in its brand manual.
- Jason Derülo's debut album of the same name uses Avenir Black on the track listing.
- Avenir is used for the subway signage of the French city Rennes.
- Apple uses Avenir for its Maps app and some Siri screens in iOS 6.
- The band Audrey use it on their album cover for The Fierce and the Longing.
- Starbucks uses Avenir as part of its brand.
- François Hollande used Avenir on his campaign materials during the 2012 French presidential election.
- CBS This Morning started using Avenir during its 2012 relaunch.
- Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School for Boys uses Avenir for its titles.
- The Walt Disney World Resort has in 2013 begun to use Avenir as its main typeface on signage, printed materials, website, and mobile apps (whereas Univers was previously used).
- ES3, the American third party logistics provider, uses Avenir for all of its marketing
References
- A new form of an old friend: Avenir Next Rounded
- Avenir, the future for Amsterdam. August 7, 2003
- "Section 4: Typography" (PDF). Identity Standards, Standards Guide. Wake Forest University. p. 3. Retrieved 2008-09-03.
- "Brand Guidelines" (PDF). EBU. p. 12. Retrieved 2010-03-09.
- Betters, Élyse (June 26, 2012). "Apple adds Avenir typeface to iOS 6 in Maps". 9to5Mac.com. Retrieved June 27, 2012.
- François Hollande, le candidat du graphisme, retrieved November 13, 2012.
- Blackwell, Lewis. 20th Century Type. Yale University Press: 2004. ISBN 0-300-10073-6.
- Fiedl, Frederich, Nicholas Ott and Bernard Stein. Typography: An Encyclopedic Survey of Type Design and Techniques Through History. Black Dog & Leventhal: 1998. ISBN 1-57912-023-7.
- Macmillan, Neil. An A–Z of Type Designers. Yale University Press: 2006. ISBN 0-300-11151-7.
External links
- Type Gallery - Avenir
- Overview on Avenir Next features
- Avenir at typophile
- Avenir vs. Avenir Next
- Linotype presents Avenir Next, a classic font by Adrian Frutiger, thereby expanding the Platinum Collection with a further typography highlight.
- New Arabic Typefaces for Multilingual Communication Today
- Janna Font Family - by Nadine Chahine
- Avenir Next Brochure
- Avenir on Fonts.com
- Avenir Next Rounded font family - Designed by Adrian Frutiger in 2012 Akira Kobayashi in 2012