The Marjoree font family, recently released by the Dutch design studio Catalogtree in collaboration with Berlin-based foundry Show Me Fonts, offers a striking exploration of form, function, and geometry. Named after the self-taught mathematician Marjorie Rice, whose groundbreaking work on tessellating pentagons revolutionized the study of patterns, this typeface is more than just a tribute—it’s a highly versatile tool designed to push the boundaries of both typography and design.
A Typographic Innovation: Duplex and Mono Formats
Marjoree stands out through its distinctive design structure, available in both Mono and Duplex formats. This innovation makes the font family uniquely adaptable to various applications, especially where precision in text alignment is paramount. The Duplex feature is particularly useful in editorial and book design, where changing the weight of the font—while maintaining consistent text flow—ensures that line breaks and layouts remain untouched. This aspect is critical when switching between different weights or styles in the same block of text, enhancing both visual consistency and readability.
In web design, this function helps prevent the unwanted shifting of interface elements when different font weights are used. The balance Marjoree strikes between aesthetics and practical application exemplifies a cutting-edge approach to font engineering, making it an asset in modern typographic solutions.
Rooted in Mathematical Elegance
The typeface’s geometric origins draw inspiration from Marjorie Rice’s mathematical discoveries, echoing the precision and modularity of her tessellating pentagon patterns. Marjoree’s Proportional and Mono variants reflect this careful attention to structure and consistency. The proportional fonts offer designers a wide range of flexibility for both print and digital layouts, while the mono fonts add a layer of mathematical clarity, suitable for coding environments, data visualizations, or design systems where uniformity is essential.
Beyond its base families, Marjoree extends into two variable display fonts—Marjoree Hex and Marjoree Penta—that pay homage to Rice’s groundbreaking work in tessellations. These experimental designs challenge traditional typographic norms, blurring the line between text and pattern, and encouraging designers to explore new frontiers in typographic art and motion design.
Practicality Meets Playfulness
Marjoree is not just about precise functionality; it’s also about playfulness and experimentation. Its highly modular design invites designers to animate and explore dynamic compositions. The variable fonts—Hex and Penta—are especially well-suited to creative projects where typography is not just a medium for communication but an artistic element in its own right. This versatility makes the Marjoree family ideal for creative professionals in fields ranging from web development to branding and experimental design.
Catalogtree and Show Me Fonts: A Partnership of Precision
This font family is the result of a creative partnership between Catalogtree and Show Me Fonts, two powerhouses known for their exacting approach to design and typography. Catalogtree, famed for its innovative data visualizations and meticulous information design, brings its signature precision to Marjoree. Show Me Fonts, founded by Bernd Volmer, complements this with its technical expertise in type design and font engineering. Together, they’ve crafted a font family that is as intellectually stimulating as it is practical.
A Font for the Future
Marjoree is a font family that exemplifies both conceptual depth and technical sophistication. Its dual emphasis on functional utility and artistic experimentation positions it as a go-to resource for designers seeking a typeface that can seamlessly adapt to diverse design environments. Whether used for complex editorial layouts, interactive web designs, or avant-garde typographic explorations, Marjoree promises to be an enduring contribution to the world of modern typography.
Its connection to the mathematical discoveries of Marjorie Rice adds a layer of historical significance, making the Marjoree font family a thoughtful and engaging choice for any designer looking to blend typographic rigor with creative freedom.
All images © by Catalogtree and Show Me Fonts. Feel free to find other trending typefaces on WE AND THE COLOR.