Node Berlin Oslo on its typography-led design for LOST iN travel guides

Each issue of travel publication LOST iN is based in a new city, revealing a wealth of local secrets. To reflect the unique characteristics of each location, design studio Node Berlin Oslo creates a contemporary cover that speaks the personality of each city through typography. This varies from block typefaces to represent London, a serif to portray the historical class of Vienna, to a more a relaxed written typeface describing Los Angeles. The edge of personality depicted on each cover is not only a representation of the city in question, but a reflection of the magazine’s charisma that speaks to those who shape and influence the city. Features within issues span from talking to a local denim king in Amsterdam, an architect from Stockholm, to the members of book clubs in London.

The decision to focus solely on type to represent each location was due to Node’s instinct to create something new, “a city is often represented by an iconic (cliched) image,” designers Serge Rompza and Anders Hofgaard explain.“By working with typography, one can be more subtle by hinting to a typographic reference. A word like ‘London’ or ‘Paris’ also creates images in the mind of the reader, so perhaps it does not need to be illustrated.” Node appropriates current typefaces for an authentic outcome, “we work with existing typefaces, we want it to have some history in order to contain some references – but sometimes we do light modifications.” The innovation of each typeface is developed in two parts, they begin with exploration of the city’s characteristics: “our inspiration could come from a type-designer, an era, a bar or shop signage that we might have discovered by accident, or simply something that we can connect with the visual culture from a particular city,” says Serge. The personality of the typography is also weighed against it’s practicality. “We try and stay clear of the most obvious choices. We always try a series of different options – the typeface has to work well with the length of the word in combination with the format and create some kind of rhythm,” he explains.

Joseph Djenandji co-founder of LOST iN explained that his decision to work with Node was because of their ability to “take up the challenge of producing something out of their core body of work. We both wanted to have a design that would stand out from the publications we see today.” A desire which each issue of LOST iN beautifully fulfills.