Among the final degree projects at ESNE (University School of Design, Innovation and Technology), we discovered this gem of creativity.
Tactography, a walk on the blind side by Jacobo Olmedo Iglesias.
A typographic exercise of exceptional brilliance and originality, Jacobo Olmedo has managed to create an entirely new series of typefaces focused on Braille.
Drawing inspiration from iconic typefaces of the 19th and 20th centuries—design milestones that have shaped the field to this day—he has developed a complete range of Braille fonts.
Jacobo began his research with Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the architect and graphic designer associated with Art Deco, Cubism, and Futurism.
He also looked to Peter Behrens, architect, designer, multidisciplinary creative, member of the Deutscher Werkbund (now Bauhaus), and abstract painter.
Josef Albers, too—designer, poet, typographer, Bauhaus member, and abstract painter—served as inspiration.
And finally, Max Miedinger, the Swiss typographer forever remembered for creating Helvetica in 1957.
With all the passion you’d expect, Jacobo’s in-depth study of these typographic masters led him to create a new series of typefaces for the visually impaired.
His main goal: to enhance the language of the blind, optimize characters, and promote greater social inclusion through accessible design.
The result is a bridge between the world of reading—originally a purely visual experience—and the tactile realm. Sight and touch merge to create a new, as-yet-unnamed sense.
This project breaks down the entrenched barriers between senses that are so deeply rooted in our society. It’s a powerful, innovative idea that deserves recognition, both for its meaning and for the quality of the final product.
We’d love the chance to work with these typefaces on a graphic design project, and we’re confident that it’s only a matter of time before a client in Barcelona is drawn to a project like this.
If you’d like to explore further, here’s the link to ESNE