Algebra
A grotesk with serifs
Algebra evolved from Granger, a headline typeface designed by Kai Bernau and Susana Carvalho for the US edition of Esquire. It is a broad-shouldered slab serif built on superelliptical forms, offered in two optical sizes: Algebra Display, which is crisp with brutalist details, and Algebra, a multipurpose companion with looser spacing for comfortable reading in running text. The designers describe it as a grotesk with serifs, referencing Frutiger's Egyptienne, Trump's Schadow, and Zapf's Melior while maintaining clean lines suited to contemporary magazine design.
Set in Algebra, Algebra Display
Insights
- Flat vertices at diagonal intersections—visible in letters like A and M—prevent letters from clogging at small text sizes and under poor printing conditions.
- Two optical sizes divide editorial duties: Display prioritizes liveliness; the multipurpose companion uses looser spacing for reading rhythm.
- The family originated as a headline face designed for Esquire before being developed into a full typeface family.
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