About...

The studio’s practice centers on designing reading experiences across media, from books to digital interfaces, emphasizing content-driven design that balances signal and signification. For Carvalho and Bernau, every project is a dialogue between applied realism and experimental inquiry. Their talk will highlight how typography serves as a cultural probing tool , weaving past narratives into contemporary concepts, and how their practices in making type and using type continuously shape each other.

Gain insights into:

• The importance and the role of research in developing original typefaces and variable fonts.

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• Strategies for blending historical examples/models with contemporary design demands.

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• Case studies from their collaborations with global institutions

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• The educational philosophy underpinning their training and subsequent teachings at institutions such as Écal (Lausanne) and the Royal Academy of Arts (The Hague).

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This lecture is essential for students and professionals invested in type design’s evolving landscape. It aligns with the Master’s focus on culturally informed variable font design, offering a rare opportunity to learn from practitioners who redefine how history shapes innovation. Whether designing bespoke typefaces for clients or leading workshops worldwide, Carvalho and Bernau exemplify how research bridges tradition and experimentation.

Short Biographies

Susana is a Porto-based designer and educator. She taught graphic design for a decade at the Royal Academy of Arts (The Hague), ArtEz Arnhem and since 2024 at FBAUP Porto, fostering a pedagogy centered on collaboration. She holds an MA in typeface design from KABK Type & Media in The Hague and an MEd in Art and Design Education from Piet Zwart Institute in Rotterdam.

Kai is a designer, teacher and researcher born in Germany, educated at HfG Schwäbisch Gmünd and KABK in the Hague. Kai is a Professor at the MA Type Design at Écal Lausanne, where he teaches and conducts research into cultural and technological aspects of type design.

Susana and Kai formed Atelier Carvalho-Bernau in 2005 in The Hague. They are renowned for typefaces like *Neutral* and *Atlas*. Their type design practice merges historical analysis with technical precision, creating typefaces for clients such as *HBO* and *The New York Times Magazine*. The atelier’s graphic design work spans identities and publications for international cultural institutions and museums, often blurring the lines between design and critical inquiry.