Monotype's Johnston100 is a much needed update on an instant classic

First commissioned in 1913, British artist and calligrapher Edward Johnston was tasked with creating lettering with “bold simplicity” that would have clear roots in tradition, but wholeheartedly belong to the 20th century. The designer drew just one weight of the typeface, basing its proportions on the seven diamond-shaped strokes of a pen – which re-appears in the tittle of the ‘i’ and ‘j’. Today, Monotype revisits the old classic to push the envelope forward.

“Over the course of its century in use, Johnston has been overtaken by events, lost a little of its magic and found itself somewhat restricted when it comes to digital applications. It needed a refurb, so TfL commissioned Monotype to both bring the typeface back to its roots and give it the versatility needed for the modern age” Monotype explains of its new project.

Johnston100 is “a comprehensive but sensitive update that introduces two new weights to the Johnston font families, adds a few missing modem-day essentials (# and @, for example), and brings back the quirks and character of Edward Johnston’s original – making it both truer to tradition and adaptable enough to navigate the digital world. It’s a brilliant birthday makeover.” Take a travel through time in London here