Marianna Paszkowska Variable fonts have already transformed typography, offering seamless interpolation, efficiency, and adaptability. But what if we looked at them not just as a set of designs or a technological advancement, but as a system in motion—an evolving, responsive framework shaped by interaction and environment?
This talk explores variable fonts through a systemic lens, drawing on concepts from feedback-driven design, adaptive technology, and real-time optimization. Instead of seeing them as merely collections of axes, we’ll consider how they function as a digital system. How does their flexibility introduce new challenges in defining typographic quality? And what does it mean to design a font design space that is not just adjustable, but intelligent—capable of optimising itself based on context or even user behaviour?
As we push the limits of typographic technology, the next frontier may not be just designing new or more axes, but creating type systems that learn, adapt, and evolve. This talk will explore how emerging technologies are reshaping what it means to create, test, and use type in an era where type design is no longer static but inherently dynamic.