System Process Form: Type as Algorithm

By Paul McNeil and Hamish Muir (MuirMcNeil) The ultimate typographic experiment from one of the world's foremost typography studios, MuirMcNeil’s Two Type System presents a systematic approach to form-giving that liberates the design process from the narrow confines of individual self-expression. The methodologies demonstrated in this book transcend the short-term limitations of single solutions to single problems, revealing the ways in which system, process, and form constitute the bedrock of a successful design practice. Using a combination of algorithm, chance, and deliberation, a core database of 23 type systems and 198 individual fonts is interpolated to generate millions of hybrid forms in which every dot, line, space, and letter is designed to correspond and collaborate in close harmony. The showcased examples, selected for their distinctively abstract and striking qualities, are printed in three vibrant neon inks and metallic black. The result, far more than a mere catalog of typefaces, demonstrates the power of excavating design problems at their deepest roots, allowing abundant and diverse outcomes to proliferate spontaneously. Published by Thames & Hudson, 2024 First published in the UK in 2023 by Unit Editions Hardcover, 400 pages, full color, 9.7 × 12.7 inches ISBN: 978-0-50-002734-9