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Students on Type & Wayfinding

Essay, Type design as parametric craft by Kasper Pyndt
Architectural student Camilla Stig Christensen

"As a student in Type & Wayfinding, I have learned to decode and gain a greater understanding of project complexities, finding an aesthetic that matches the language surrounding the given project. I find it interesting to see how graphic design can be used to convey a mood and give people a direct perception and understanding of the goals and capabilities of a project without compromising on quality. I see that the programme aims to train competent graphic designers and architects capable of commanding and combining complexities and offering something out of the ordinary, and I find it important to embrace the multi-disciplinary approach and the built-in tension that characterizes the department’s discipline.

After my first type design course, where I designed Leo Lund’s fish type, I noticed a significant change in my perception of details and shapes, which has definitely given me a keener eye. I can tell that this has changed my sense of form – and definitely for the better! That is the most mind-blowing experience I have had during my master’s studies." 

Camilla Stig Christensen, architectural student

Design student Kasper Pyndt

"As I see it, the Type & Wayfinding programme occupies a unique position, as it deals not only with the production of typographic/graphic design but places equal emphasis on its physical context. To me, this focus on the relationship between the visual product and its context is the most important advantage of the programme. Consequently, it is deeply rooted in the real world, which has helped me personally achieve a more profound and critical understanding of my own practice.

The combined presence of architects and designers in Type & Wayfinding produces an inspiring study environment that lets us share new perspectives on ongoing projects and gives us an incentive to engage in deeper, holistic collaboration projects. Collaboration projects that include both two-dimensional and spatial qualities."

Kasper Pyndt, design student

Architectural student Rena Gonatos

"Since I began my architecture studies, it has been my plan to work at the intersection of architecture and graphic design. This multi-disciplinary approach became possible especially when I began my master’s studies in Type & Graphic Design. Here, I could really work with and experience the synergy between the two areas instead of simply treating graphic design as an extension of the spatial context.

In the course of my master’s studies, I have taken classes in graphic disciplines that were new to me, and I have been able to maintain and refine my architectural and often highly contextualised approach.

To me, the presence in the programme of a variety of disciplinary approaches, from both architecture and design, gives us an opportunity to learn from one another. As an architecture student I have had a keen awareness of the role of context and of the implementation of graphic elements in the spatial setting, while I have noticed that the design students in the programme have a strong sense of details in two-dimensional designs and sometimes, perhaps, a slightly freer approach to the work.

Viewing an architectural drawing as a graphic element requires one to move beyond the superfluous and achieve a high degree of clarity. Taking a spatial view of a letter requires one to place it alongside other letters and consider the tiny details in contrasts and spacing that can make a world of difference – in both graphic design and architecture. Essentially, the key probably lies in breaking down the traditional perception of the distinction between architects and graphic designers and seizing the potential of a multi-disciplinary approach. At least, that is what I would recommend."

Rena Gonatos, architectural student

Design student Jeppe Pendrup Jørgensen

"My focus in the master’s programme Type & Wayfinding has been on type design. Here, I have met a dedicated and competent teaching team with profound insight into type theory, type history and type design as a craft. The passion and dedication that we have encountered from the teachers has been a huge source of personal motivation in the projects we have completed in the master’s programme and has helped improve my own knowledge and continued interest in the field."

Jeppe Pendrup Jørgensen, design student   

Design student Claire Donohoe

"I find that the spatial angle on graphic design adds a new dimension to one’s work and passion for the field. We are trained to be able to create strong graphic design but also to grasp and address the spatial context that the design goes into.

    I am a strong advocate of the multi-disciplinary qualities of the programme, which I find incredibly inspiring. The two different educational backgrounds enable us to supplement and inspire each other in a very rewarding way that leads to broader and more complex projects."

Claire Donohoe, design student

A vegetable garden kit for refugee camps. Container (plan, cross-section, elevation – combined) by Rena Gonatos
Typeface by Jeppe Pendrup Jørgensen