Displaay’s variable typeface, Season, can flex between a subtle sans, a sharp serif, and then some

“Since the introduction of the variable font format in 2016, I’ve been thinking about what else, beyond weight, contrast, or width, could be useful to control,” says Displaay’s Founder & Type Designer Martin Vácha. “Construction was definitely on my mind. The idea of merging the two most widely used type categories – sans and serif – into a single file with a shared construction was especially appealing.” So in 2017, Vácha began flirting with the idea of a variable sans-to-serif typeface.

However, something about his first tests didn’t feel right. He was tossing around a few ideas at the time, and based the first test on Frutiger, but he somehow couldn’t get comfortable with the construction of the extreme versions of the sans and serif, so he put the project aside and focused on other things. The penny-drop moment came five years later when he realised that he could borrow some features from Displaay’s Matter and Reckless, and so the project gathered steam again, resulting in the foundry’s debut sans-to-serif variable typeface, Season. “Just as you enjoy the changing seasons, we hope you’ll appreciate each phase of Season,” says Vácha.

The idea to pull cues from Matter and Reckless lent the project new momentum. “I realised we should take the foundation of these typefaces, which are both unique yet universally appealing; I used the calligraphic terminals from Reckless and the subtle open terminals from Matter, and that helped me figure out the construction of Season’s terminals.” The typeface – the idea for which was sparked by designers’ everlasting challenge of choosing and combining sans and serif typefaces – offers three families, Season Sans, Season Serif, and an intermediate variant, Season Mix, each featuring six weights and 12 styles. The variable format, however, ensures that one can explore countless more versions, tweaking the range to arrive at serifs and contrasts to their taste.

Once Vácha and assisting designer David Rericha defined the sans and serif extremes, the “Mix version automatically blended into a form I really enjoy,” says Vácha. “For me, the key was determining the ideal shape of the terminals for the extreme variants. The most challenging part was establishing a few principles to use in Mix, especially for the terminals in the letter ‘G,’ which draws solutions from the thicker terminals of the letters ‘c,’ ‘e,’ ‘j,’ and ‘t.’” The triangular serifs, which emerge from the stems in a sharp angle rather than a smooth one, bring a new flavour to the foundry’s palette of typefaces. This was a stylistic departure from a set of serifs in Displaay’s library, most of which feature smooth connections between serifs and stems.

With its sweeping range, Season has the promise to become a versatile tool in the designer’s toolbox, allowing for a blend of multiple styles and variations within larger projects. For Displaay, the making of Season not only marks a first in their practice, but also leaves a great lesson to sit with a while. As it turns out, if a project takes a bit too long to come together, perhaps one should let it. “It was surprising that, even though it took ages to complete the project, the extra time ultimately improved the outcome,” reflects Vácha. “So sometimes, patience is worth it.”