An alliance of style, situation and content: The design of a typeface for South Africa's Constitutional Court

Abstract

One of the most striking features on approaching the Constitutional Court located on Constitution Hill in Johannesburg, is the typographic application directly above the main public entrance. Bold, colourful, friendly and almost playful, the typography announces the identity of the building in the 11 official languages of the country. Unlike the formal and classical identification signage associated with many public law buildings in South Africa, this typeface signals an alternative set of core values and references. In keeping with the ideas informing the conceptual development of Constitution Hill, the typeface and signage are an example of a contemporary civic-based project that draws on South Africa's political history and strives to encapsulate and mirror its democratic aspirations.