Usina es un proyecto tipográfico que se inspira en las letras de la fachada del laboratorio y subestaciones de la UTE. El objetivo es contribuir a la cultura nacional al reconocer la herencia tipográfica y arquitectónica de Montevideo. La historia, muchas veces dada por cotidiana, otorga valor al paisaje inadvertido y permanente en el tiempo. La iniciativa muestra lo importante del oficio, ofrece un momento para observar los destellos de una estética que nos pertenece.

Equipo: Jimena Germil, Rosana Malaneschii, Matías Fernandez Di Iorio, Juan Martín Lusiardo y Amijai Benderski.

Usina is a typographic project that is inspired by the letters on the façade of the UTE (Uruguay’s National Electric Company) laboratory and substations. It’s objective is to contribute to the national culture by recognizing the typographic and architectural heritage of Montevideo. History, often taken for granted, gives value to the landscape that is unnoticed and permanent over time. The initiative shows the importance of the craft, It offers a moment to observe the flashes of an aesthetic that belongs to us.

Team: Jimena Germil, Rosana Malaneschii, Matías Fernandez Di Iorio, Juan Martín Lusiardo y Amijai Benderski.

A week ago, using a national holiday as the excuse, a team coordinated by the designer Gabriel Amijai Benderski Perez unveiled Tipografías del Uruguay, a project that allows us to download an art deco typeface.

Behind the typing will be the architecture of the 30s, an anonymous blacksmith and an interpretation of an urban gesture that now has a byte dimension. “It is a typographic project that rescued and digitized the signage work exhibited by UTE (Uruguay’s National Electric Company) on their facades. Our objective is to contribute to our national culture by recognizing the typographic and architectural heritage of Montevideo.

Usina is a typeface in an organic state, therefore, it comes to light in order to build itself over time, in conjunction with those who use it. Free for everyone, just as it is for those who walk in front of UTE’s laboratory or substations ”.

To learn the details and download the font visit ☛ lapatria.uy

“In my opinion, type is hard to notice. Its behaviour is similar to our nose, is always there, but our eyes don’t see it” argues Benderski. “As designers we realize that we aren’t well represented. This group came together to make graphic design take over places like football or carnival, places of relevance for Uruguayans. We understood that the only way to accomplish this goal is by working.

For us, the release shows the importance of the craft and “offers a moment to observe the flashes of an aesthetic that belongs to us”, they say. “UTE commissioned a blacksmith to label their buildings, so not all the letters of the alphabet exist, only the ones found within the words ‘laboratory’ and ‘substation’. So, for example, the x, w, y, z are missing because they weren’t commissioned.

Every era refers to an aesthetic. If we take a look at UTE’s laboratory, we will realize that it’s art deco, windows are round, for example. The letters accompany the architectural style. Typography is a system in which there are parentheses, there are commas, you also have to design the space between the letters, ”explains Benderski, who considers the blacksmith’s work to be excellent. “We were inspired by that. There are many art deco typefaces, but none like this one. There are characteristics in letters such as C or I, to which has a dot even being capitalized. It is a meticulous subject. Also, it wasn’t the same person who designed them as who placed them: we found differences in the inclination of the acute accent, sometimes was found as a diagonal and other times looked like a dash”.

Teamwork is responsible to show what we can do: a design proposal that shows the relationship of the design of letters in our environment

Gabriel emphasizes that they wanted to draw attention to the sensitivity of working with type. Teamwork is responsible to show what we are capable of doing: a design proposal that exposes the relationship of the design of letters in our environment. An architect, a writer, a type designer, a user experience designer and a graphic designer join forces: Jimena Germil & Rosana Malaneschii & Matías Fernandez Di Iorio & Juan Martín Lusiardo & Gabriel Amijai Benderski Perez.

“The intention is to inform our people of what designer is and of our approach”.

Previously, together with Fabián Bicco, Benderski did a similar work for Peñarol. Taking as a starting point the lettering of the old clubhouse, built by Julio Vilamajó. “Our job was to make numbers from those letters on the facade to identify the club. Recently, The tribunes of the stadium of Peñarol needed graphics and the people of Peñarol took the decision of using, what now is called, the Vilamajó Font.”