Typeface Design for Columbia Sans

A science magazine commission that grew into a Renaissance type excavation

Columbia Sans was commissioned by French science magazine Sciences & Avenir and designed by Jean-Baptiste Levée at Production Type. The design strikes a balance between rigorous topics and an approachable, informal tone. Early drafts resembled a sans-serif interpretation of Times New Roman before the exploration broadened to encompass 16th- and 17th-century models from Guillaume Le Bé and Christophe Plantin, including the Franco-Dutch Elzevir style. The family ships in two optical sizes with an unconventional approach: the Display cut carries a generous x-height for dense headline coverage, while the text cut uses a smaller x-height to sharpen word silhouettes.

Set in Columbia Sans