More often than not, the design discourse surrounding large multi-script type families is dominated by narratives from the global North. These narratives almost always begin with a Latin typeface designed by a singular designer, while other scripts and designers follow their lead.
The approach at Ek Type is an alternative, non-hierarchical one. Instead of starting with a single script, they design simultaneously for many of India’s scripts. Each designer works independently on their respective script and collaboratively on the type family as a whole. Ek Type’s collective design decisions are democratic, deliberative, and egalitarian.
They will be sharing broad outlines of their process through their latest multi-script variable type family—Anek. Designed by a team of twelve designers over eighteen months, Anek is a superfamily that supports ten commonly used scripts in India.