Michael Clasen
Founder, Type Designer
In their own words
It’s rare for a typeface of an independent type foundry to become part of something that’s so culturally significant.
After spending years developing a typeface, seeing it take on a life outside the studio is always incredibly rewarding.
It’s always fascinating to watch a typeface move from the slow and often solitary process of drawing letters into a broader cultural context where it then truly comes alive.
The unique situation we were in as a type foundry was to not only create a custom typeface, but also the environment it is used in.
Cursor wants to visually reflect being the industry-leading company in their niche, and these interactive product elements demonstrate that – a next-level way of making their product experienceable on the web.
We faced a chicken-and-egg situation... we had to find the best proportions and complexity of the prison grid suited for constructing a type system.
Articles & interviews4
- Kimera foundry on having its typeface front the Oscar-winning film, Sentimental Value
The article profiles Munich-based type foundry Kimera and its founder Michael Clasen, focusing on the use of their typeface Waldenburg in the Oscar-winning film 'Sentimental Value'. It explores Kimera’s research-driven approach to type design and how Waldenburg’s humanist yet precise qualities complemented the film’s tone. The feature highlights the significance of an independent foundry’s work reaching a global cinematic audience.
- How Kimera built Cursor’s identity around a custom typeface system
Kimera collaborated with AI code editor Cursor to refresh its brand identity, centering the system around a custom typeface family derived from Waldenburg. The project integrated brand and product design through Cursor Gothic and Cursor Mono, a logo system, and interactive web elements that mirror the coding environment. The result balances technical precision with human warmth, redefining how typography can unify brand and product experiences.