DAS MINSK website
DAS MINSK is a contemporary art museum in Potsdam, Germany, which opened its doors in 2022.
The website exclusively uses the custom Minsk typeface, designed by graphic and type designer Sascha Bente. The identity including the website was designed by the studio Fasson Freddy Fuss.
At first glance, Minsk appears to be a brutal typeface. The designer drew inspiration from Schelter & Giesecke’s Fette Steinschrift (see Zeitungs-Grotesque), resulting in a modern sans-serif typeface with minimal variation in stroke width.
Minsk gives more of a hard impression due to its heavy strokes with sharp corners. However, these heavy features are softened by some delicate details. The round dots are immediately noticeable. Additionally, ink traps are used, and the lack of acute angles in the negative spaces is counterbalanced by the endings of the diagonals. Another unique feature is the regular use of alternatives in the text. For instance, the lowercase m is an inverted w. The uppercase W always uses an upturned M. There is also a ligature for the letters I and N, primarily used in the logo. Also noticeable in the logo is the spacing of the typeface which is slightly wider than that of Minsk Medium.
In terms of font styles, it is generally noted that titles and highlights often appear in bold, body text in regular, and (work) titles in italic. Additionally, highlights and captions are set in all caps, while body text is in sentence case.
The overall typography of the website is clear and understandable, thanks to well-placed paragraphs and adequate line spacing.
Further counterpoints to the strong and heavy typeface are some interactive and dynamic elements on the website. These elements contribute to a more light impression of the website without compromising its clean look.
