Calibre

Kris Sowersby

Metric & Calibre are a pair of typefaces that share a fundamental geometry yet differ in the finish of key letterforms. Metric is a geometric humanist, sired by West Berlin street signs. Calibre is a geometric neo-grotesque, inspired by the rationality of Aldo Novarese’s seldom seen Recta. They were conceived as a pair but function independently of each other. They are premised upon two ideas—1: “engineered geometry” and its application to street signage, 2: alternate letterforms in typefaces.

Images of Calibre

  1. Image 1 — Klim-Calibre-2 (Calibre)
  2. Image 2 — Klim-Calibre-3 (Calibre)
  3. Image 3 — Klim-Calibre-4 (Calibre)
  4. Image 4 — Klim-Calibre-5 (Calibre)
  5. Image 5 — Klim-Calibre-6 (Calibre)
  6. Image 6 — Klim-Calibre-7 (Calibre)
  7. Image 7 — Klim-Calibre-8 (Calibre)
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    Kris Sowersby, New Zealand (2013)

    The Klim Type Foundry (Klim) was founded in 2005 by type designer Kris Sowersby. Klim sells its typefaces directly through klim.co.nz and is based in Wellington, New Zealand. Since releasing...

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    • Calibre, 2011

      7 items, Type Design

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    Metric & Calibre are a pair of typefaces that share a fundamental geometry yet differ in the finish of key letterforms. Metric is a geometric humanist, sired by West Berlin street signs. Calibre is a geometric neo-grotesque, inspired by the rationality of Aldo Novarese’s seldom seen Recta. They were conceived as a pair but function independently of each other. They are premised upon two ideas—1: “engineered geometry” and its application to street signage, 2: alternate letterforms in typefaces.

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    • Klim Type Foundry

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    • Typeface
    • Typography
    Kris Sowersby, New Zealand (2013)

    The Klim Type Foundry (Klim) was founded in 2005 by type designer Kris Sowersby. Klim sells its typefaces directly through klim.co.nz and is based in Wellington, New Zealand.

    Since releasing his first retail typeface, Feijoa, in 2007, Kris has received numerous awards and accolades, including: a Certificate of Excellence from the New York Type Directors Club for his second typeface, National, in 2008; being named an ADC Young Gun in 2010; being accepted as a member of the prestigious Alliance Graphique Internationale (the second New Zealander to do so) in 2013; and receiving the John Britten Black Pin in 2015, the highest award given by the Designers Institute of New Zealand.

    Kris studied at Whanganui School of Design and working briefly as a graphic designer before starting Klim. His typefaces combine historical knowledge with rigorous contemporary workmanship, and are used internationally in analogue and digital media.

    Exhibitions

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    There is no such thing as a New Zealand typeface

    2018

    Objectspace, Auckland

    The British have Gill Sans, the French, Garamond, the Italians, Bodoni, the Swiss, Helvetica. Is there a relationship between a typeface and place? Can a typeface have a regional accent? With a lack of digital typefaces to choose, and motivated to create a typeface that local designers could use to communicate with rather than reaching for foreign ones, typeface designer Kris Sowersby began investigating a typeface that would be from New Zealand. It was released in 2007 and was named National.

    Awards

    plus

    • 2015

    Best Awards, John Britten Black Pin.

    • 2015

    TDC² Award for Typographic Excellence, Judges Choice: Domaine Sans.

    • 2015

    AGDA Design Awards, Design Crafts Pinnacle Award & Judge’s Choice: Financier.

    • 2015

    Best Awards, Design Purple & Gold Pin: Financial Times Redesign.*

    • 2015

    Best Awards, Ngā Aho Purple Pin: Pure Pākati.*

    • 2015

    Best Awards, Design Crafts Gold Pin: Financier.

    • 2015

    Best Awards, Design Crafts Finalist: Hone Tuwhare Trust Poster Series.*

    • 2015

    Best Awards, Design Crafts Finalist: Pure Pākati.

    • 2014

    Tokyo Type Directors Club TDC Prize: Financier.

    • 2014

    Tokyo Type Directors Club Prize Nominee/Excellent Works: Domaine.

    • 2014

    Tokyo Type Directors Club Prize Nominee/Excellent Works: Domaine Sans.

    • 2014

    Australian Design Biennale Distinction: Domaine.

    • 2014

    Australian Design Biennale Distinction: Domaine Sans.

    • 2014

    Australian Design Biennale Distinction: Maelstrom.

    • 2014

    Australian Design Biennale Finalist: Manuka.

    • 2014

    Best Awards Silver: Domaine Sans.

    • 2014

    Best Awards Bronze: Wahoo.

    • 2014

    Best Awards Finalist: Maelstrom.

    • 2014

    Best Awards Finalist: Founders Grotesk Mono.

    • 2013

    Best Awards Gold Pin: The Domaine Typeface Family.

    • 2013

    Best Awards Silver: Air New Zealand Wordmark.

    • 2013

    Best Awards Bronze: Sovereign Coin Typeface.

    • 2012

    Australian Design Biennale Judge’s Choice: Pitch.

    • 2012

    Australian Design Biennale AGDA Award: Founders Grotesk Family.

    • 2012

    Australian Design Biennale AGDA Award: Metric & Calibre.

    • 2012

    Australian Design Biennale AGDA Award: Tiempos Family.

    • 2012

    Australian Design Biennale AGDA Award: Klim Type Specimen No. 4.*

    • 2012

    Australian Design Biennale AGDA Award: Klim Type Specimens No. 2 & 3.*

    • 2012

    Australian Design Biennale AGDA Award: The Darling Typeface.*

    • 2012

    Best Awards Gold Pin: Founders Grotesk Family.

    • 2012

    Best Awards Gold Pin: Klim Type Foundry website.*

    • 2012

    Best Awards Silver: Metric & Calibre.

    • 2012

    Best Awards Silver: Metric & Calibre Type Specimen.*

    • 2012

    Best Awards Silver: The Great Catering Co. logotype.*

    • 2012

    Best Awards Bronze: Pitch.

    • 2012

    Best Awards Bronze: Klim Type Specimen No. 4.*

    • 2012

    Best Awards Finalist: Tiempos Family.

    • 2012

    D&AD Awards, Wayfinding & Environmental Graphics: Darling.*

    • 2011

    Best Awards Purple Pin: Sentimental Journey.

    • 2011

    Best Awards Gold Pin: Sentimental Journey.

    • 2011

    ATypI Letter.2 Award: Tiempos.

    • 2011

    Creative Review Type Annual, Best in Book: Karbon.

    • 2011

    Creative Review Type Annual, Text Faces: Founders Grotesk.

    • 2010

    Art Directors Club of New York: Young Gun.

    • 2009

    TDC² Award for Typographic Excellence: Hardys.

    • 2009

    TDC² Award for Typographic Excellence: Serrano.

    • 2009

    Best Awards Gold: Serrano.

    • 2009

    Pride in Print Awards, Highly Commended: Wild Flour Business Cards.

    • 2008

    TDC² Award for Typographic Excellence, Judges Choice: National.

    • 2008

    Adelaide Advertising & Design Club Award for Corporate ID: Hardys.*

    • 2008

    Wallpaper* Magazine Graduate Directory
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