I was hoping for your help with something.
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@mwichary the portland classic ceramic house numbers came to mind https://www.pdxmonthly.com/home-and-real-estate/2021/03/the-relics-of-portland-s-great-renumbering
@atsuzaki Jinx!
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@dried @secretasianman It’s the best. Do we still not know who designed it?
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@mwichary my home region has a specific typography that you can find in many places (PDF): https://www.bretagne.bzh/app/uploads/charte_graph_RB_2025_sept_2025_v03.pdf
@brunogirin Very cool, thanks! You don’t happen to have a photo, do you?
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@Wintermute_BBS Are you nominating the above, the below, or the combination of both?
@mwichary the below as that has been the font used for at least four decades.
The foreign language signs are a later (but quite nice) addition (there are two more: one in the italian quarter and one in the moroccan quarter).
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@mwichary A sort of a typographical shibboleth, I suppose
@ricci Thanks! You don’t happen to have a photo or a hint on how to find one?
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@mwichary the below as that has been the font used for at least four decades.
The foreign language signs are a later (but quite nice) addition (there are two more: one in the italian quarter and one in the moroccan quarter).
@Wintermute_BBS Thanks! Yeah, I saw a lot of versions of DIN around when I visited a few months ago. Fascinating. I need to dig deeper into it.
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I was hoping for your help with something.
Is there a particular font that’s instantly recognizable to someone who lives where you do, and appreciated/recognized/hated there, but completely unknown elsewhere? Something on road signs, street names, transit, infrastructure, stuff like that? I’ll share some examples in the thread.
I’d love to learn more about these. I’m not afraid of links in languages I don’t understand, ha.
(Also please repost for reach if you are willing!)
Thank you!
@mwichary Not used where I live nowadays, but I recently learned about https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_Alphabet
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@Wintermute_BBS Thanks! Yeah, I saw a lot of versions of DIN around when I visited a few months ago. Fascinating. I need to dig deeper into it.
@mwichary we germans are obsessed with DIN norms ...
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@brunogirin Very cool, thanks! You don’t happen to have a photo, do you?
@mwichary Ah no because I don't live there anymore but maybe I can try to source one.
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@mwichary Not used where I live nowadays, but I recently learned about https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_Alphabet
@slink Yes, thanks! Me too.
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1.
In Rotterdam, I spotted this quirky house number font with a very distinctive 3 and 5. I also saw it on some (historical?) license plates.@mwichary Dark blue with white letters is indeed historical for Dutch license plates, used only on classic cars that were first registered as new before 1978.
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@mwichary Ah no because I don't live there anymore but maybe I can try to source one.
@brunogirin Thanks, it’s not a big thing so please don’t worry too much!
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I was hoping for your help with something.
Is there a particular font that’s instantly recognizable to someone who lives where you do, and appreciated/recognized/hated there, but completely unknown elsewhere? Something on road signs, street names, transit, infrastructure, stuff like that? I’ll share some examples in the thread.
I’d love to learn more about these. I’m not afraid of links in languages I don’t understand, ha.
(Also please repost for reach if you are willing!)
Thank you!
I'm Scottish. I'd say the two obvious candidate are Transport, the font used on all UK road signs (although the kerning on this example is terrible), and Reith Sans – the house font of https://www.bbc.co.uk/
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I was hoping for your help with something.
Is there a particular font that’s instantly recognizable to someone who lives where you do, and appreciated/recognized/hated there, but completely unknown elsewhere? Something on road signs, street names, transit, infrastructure, stuff like that? I’ll share some examples in the thread.
I’d love to learn more about these. I’m not afraid of links in languages I don’t understand, ha.
(Also please repost for reach if you are willing!)
Thank you!
@mwichary Parisine in Paris métro.
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1.
In Rotterdam, I spotted this quirky house number font with a very distinctive 3 and 5. I also saw it on some (historical?) license plates.@mwichary yep that's the standard house number plate! Very recognisable
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@mwichary Dark blue with white letters is indeed historical for Dutch license plates, used only on classic cars that were first registered as new before 1978.
@sindarina Yeah, also saw it once more on another old car.
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@mwichary yep that's the standard house number plate! Very recognisable
@florine Do you know if it’s specific to a region, or all over the country?
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I'm Scottish. I'd say the two obvious candidate are Transport, the font used on all UK road signs (although the kerning on this example is terrible), and Reith Sans – the house font of https://www.bbc.co.uk/
@se_davidobrien TIL Reith Sans!
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@brunogirin I think it’s called Transport!
@mwichary @brunogirin but there's also the UK street name font, most recently known as Kindersley Street or Kindersley Grand Arcade — https://wemadethis.co.uk/blog/2022/02/street-name-fonts/
(also a product of a fight between two type designers)
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@mwichary Parisine in Paris métro.
@mariejulien Thanks! Do you know if people love it/hate it/are indifferent/etc.?
