Byw: A Living Typeface
Typeface & Editorial Design
Featured in the Nationwide Degree Show: The V&A Curation
Brief:
An ambitious self-led project, and self-written brief for end of year exhibition.
Use design to encourage new learners and the use of the Welsh language, with the aim of helping the Welsh Government achieve its vision of 1 million Welsh speakers by 2050.
Solution:
Byw (meaning living) is a family of living Welsh typefaces, designed with this Welsh community in mind. The Welsh alphabet includes 8 digraphs which are special to the Welsh language- Byw has been designed with these unique letters as ligatures. There are 2 weights within the family; Byw Sans Serif, and Byw Variable The variable weight has been designed as a phonetic alphabet. The stroke width of each letter depends on the position of the tongue in the mouth when the letter is pronounced. This weight will give learners confidence with the pronunciation of letters through a visual system. The typeface has been applied to outcomes that also encourage learners and the use of the language.
This project was selected by Philippa Simpson, head of design and construction at V&A, as a feature in the Nationwide Degree Show: The V&A Curation.
"A really nice way of promoting Welsh, bringing a modern sensibility to letterforms associated largely with the past. Shows the beauty inherent in the language." - Philippa Simpson V&A
My final major project aims to create an environment where more people will want to use the Welsh language. In 2017, the Welsh Government announced a new vision for a million Welsh speakers by 2050. To reach this goal, Wales needs to provide the conditions to facilitate this increase. This body of work aims to increase exposure and accessibility to the Welsh Language. By using design to celebrate the uniqueness of the Welsh language, people will be able to understand the importance of keeping the language alive.
