Comprendre son temps magazine, n° 1
Sciences Po, also known as the Paris Institute of Political Studies is a research university located in Paris, France. They have their own publishing house, mostly publishing essays from researchers. They are now launching a bi-annual magazine focusing on the actuality of research, with a political angle. The first issue, released in April 2024, is titled “Une Europe fragmentée ?” which translates to “A Fragmented Europe?”. The many illustrations opening most articles are by Félix de Combat.
The whole first issue of Comprendre son temps is freely accessible as a PDF.
The magazine features a changing typographic cocktail, bringing new titling fonts for each issue while keeping Tekst A and NaN Metrify A (mostly in its Wide subfamily) for texts and sub-headings for all issues. A duo of contrasting sans serifs is sharing the spotlight for this first issue. Bureau Brut’s Ostia Antica, in all caps, shows its very classical proportions inspired by monumental inscriptions while Brieface’s Falser Grotesk appears very geometric and modern in comparison. The difference of proportion between the very wide round letters in Ostia Antica and quite narrow in Falser, is quite startling.
NaN Metrify is mostly used in its wider versions for all introductory paragraphs and recurring info, grounding the layout with subtle confidence. Teskt, in it A version (for Analog), the only serif of the four typefaces, strikes by its very organic, soft and calligraphic influences in comparison with the three sans serifs. As the text duo, Metrify and Tekst are opposite in their construction, contrast amount, but also in proportions, AAAAA using Metrify in its Wide subfamily while Tekst sports a quite narrow fit.
