Dutch "NEN 3225" digitized?

9 Oct 2012 — 1:54am

In 1962, the Dutch "Institute for Normalization" (NEN) published a guide for proper letter designs, both a sans and a serif. According to Middendorp,

The official digital version of the NEN 3225 alphabets has been made available at the type production Visualogik in 's-Hertogenbosch

("Dutch Type", p. 299).

Are these fonts somewhere available?

Theunis de Jong
9 Oct 2012 — 2:53am

A sample of the Sans in use in Amsterdam:

(from http://www.kuitenbrouwer.nl)

Rems Blogt notes

Amsterdam street signs feature the sans-serif font described in the national norm NEN 3225:1962, which designer Sem Hartz had some influence on apparently. [..] (Also, public typeface design by committee, where have we heard that before?)

As the original document shows (p. viii), Hartz indeed was part of the committee:

Ir. H.G.J. Schelling, architect NV. Nederlandsche Spoorwegen, Utrecht (chairman)
Prof. Dr. G.W. Ovink, estethic advisor Lettergieterij "Amsterdam" v/h Tetterode (secretary)
S.L. Hartz, graphic designer Joh.Enschede, Haarlem
Jan van Krimpen, typograph, Joh. Enschede, Haarlem
H.C. Warmelink, notary and type specialist, Amsterdam
Prof. Ir. C. Wegener Sleeswijk, architect Amsterdam

David Vereschagin
9 Oct 2012 — 5:27am

Have you tried contacting Visualogik? Their "under construction" website hasn't been updated in over a year, but it might be worth a try.

David

Theunis de Jong
9 Oct 2012 — 5:56am

Actually, I'd be more interested in any other -- non-"official" -- interpretations!
A collegeau of mine owns the original 1962 guide, and in it the characters are printed on millimeter paper, so re-creating them should be quite easy. I'm wondering if anyone has "been there, done that" (possibly followed by "thrashed it").

hrant
9 Oct 2012 — 8:39am

AFAIK the Visualogik people work with the Neufville people, so maybe try asking the latter.

hhp

Dutch "NEN 3225" digitized?

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