Type Directors Club

The annual competition began in 1953 and opened to non-members in 1956. The first print annual followed in 1980, with a separate typeface-design competition introduced in 1996. The archive covers both typefaces and the ways designers use them.

First awarded to Hermann Zapf in 1967, the TDC Medal recognises contributions to typography. It is separate from the annual project awards. An individual honour does not become a studio award because that person worked on a studio’s project.

The records here include certificates, Type High awards, Judges’ Choice and Best of Discipline. Names and award levels vary by edition. Each entry keeps its original label and links to the result; historical certificates are not relabelled as medals.

A foundry may supply or create type without designing the whole identity. Entries preserve these roles and link studios credited on the same work. To explore the design, look at how the type works across motion, layouts or a complete identity.

A project’s name can include a different year from its award. Spatial Festival 2025, for example, has verified TDC records in the 2026 edition. D1S1 groups entries by award year and keeps the original project title.