Futura Typeface specimen by ZoeB License: CC BY-SA 4.0

Futura is a sans serif typeface, based on rigid geometric principles, inspired by the teachings of the Bauhaus. After one century of existence, it is impossible to see it as a mere set of shapes. It is a historical piece and a cultural force. Unlike many other visual contemporaries, Futura never really went out of style. It has always found a way to stay relevant with each new generation, from the Apollo missions to fashion branding, high art, Hollywood, and political campaigns. Not even being banned by the nazis was able to stop it!

The Bauhaus

Just before World War I, there was a movement in Germany that aimed to break with the conventional ideas on design: The Bauhaus. Form and function became key words of the new design philosophy, which focused on pure line, with the elimination of all ornament in every design form, from furniture to typography.

For centuries, german typography was mostly identified by the Fraktur typeface, an elaborated calligraphic hand-styled font created in the 16th century. This font used very heavy types, “Dingbats”, and a dark black composition. It is no surprise that the current designers were willing to see a more rational and functional approach to typography.

Goethe’s Faust opening, written in Fraktur font. Public Domain

Jabob Erbar took the lead. In 1926, considered the first german sans serif typeface, was produced. But the big break in modern typography would occur the following year at the hands of Paul Renner. His work was Futura was released in 1927 as a contribution to the New Frankfurt project a radical affordable housing project involving most of the current modernist architects. The font was marketed as the typeface of our timeand its name aims to represent optimism for the future in a Germany in crisis.

The clean lines, the geometric distribution of the white space of the functional movement brought a more dynamic contrast to the composition. It also made the type font easier to mechanize and standardize.

Futura gained broad international distribution showing up on charts or being overlaid on pictures by being so suitable for mass production.

The Nazi Threat

For the conservative minds of the Nazis, however, every symbol of the future was a problem. The Nazi regime disliked everything related to Bauhaus and modernist art and adopted the traditionally styled Fraktur as part of their look. At the same time, Renner was known for his anti-fascist views, which gained him an arrest after Hitler took power followed by an exile in Switzerland.

On the opposite board of the ocean, Futura’s American competitors took advantage of its German origins to campaign against it: “By buying German fonts you help Nazis”, was written in their advertisements.

Interestingly, in 1941, the Nazi regime abruptly flipped its position on typography. If at first, black letter fonts were identified as the true Aryan image, they were suddenly considered a Jewish corruption. Germans were then told to use only Roman fonts and many later Nazi documents were even printed in Futura.

Graphics from Organisationsbuch der NSDAP using Futura alongside Fraktur. Source

To infinity…and beyond!

After World War II, Futura was so widely spread internationally that the campaigns against it weren't enough to stop its use. The truth is that time, typography choices relied heavily on the availability of physical pieces of type. And Futura was very accessible in that terms.

NASA used many different sans serif fonts in their work, also due to their easy readability. Futura also had the advantage of being quite familiar, making it perfect for astronaut’s documentations, who were required to quickly read and understand instructions. This way, the font was extensively used by NASA in Apollo 11 mission, including in one iconic item that would glorify Futura forever: the Lunar plaque.

Apollo Moon Landing Plaque. License: Public Domain

With the proud words We Came in Peace for all Mankind follow by the signatures of Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, Edwin Aldrin, and Richard Nixon, Futura, made it to the Moon!

Never Use Futura

The great sans serif geometric type boom in the 1930s made the original Futura font and its numerous versions available all over the world. From then until today, it became so ubiquitous that complaining about its use has turned into a cliché itself.

The book cover of Douglas Thomas’ Never use Futura plays with the typeface’s overuse, by stating that you should never use it unless you are one of the popular brands, organizations, or artists — citing names from David Fincher to The UK Conservative Party — who used it in the last century.

Book cover of “Never Use Futura” by Douglas Thomas

In the chapter Futura in the Wild, an interesting photo essay shows how the type font became the go-to type for advertising. Even today, you can walk in a mall and find it nearly everywhere in brand logos like Nike, Calvin Klein, Louis Vuitton, and Claire’s.

Photo essay Futura in the wild, from Never Use Futura

Futura was a star before being sent out of space: a movie star. One year before be engraved in the Moon plaque, Stanley Kubrick used Futura for 2001: A Space Odyssey. He later used it again the posters and title sequences of Eyes Wide Shut. It was admittedly one of his favorite fonts. But probably no other director is more loyal to Futura than Wes Anderson, who uses it in nearly every movie.

Scene from The Royal Tenenbaums, by Wes Anderson

Being perceived as liberal typography, Futura was the favorite font for political campaigns in the ’50s and ’60s, campaigning for Eisenhower, Nixon, and J.F.Kennedy. In 1972, it was used almost exclusively in Nixon’s campaign and interestingly, fell out of use in political design soon after his resignation two years after.

Futura in electoral politics, from Never Use Futura

Finally, we couldn’t avoid mentioning Barbara Kruger’s work. Her pieces are widely recognized by photo collages with remarkable slogans written in white letters against a red background. The font used is Futura, making itan integral part of her artwork.

Barbara Kruger, Untitled (We Don't Need Another Hero), (1986) License: Fair Use

It is not unusual for Graphic Design teachers and experts to discourage the use of Futura due to its overuse. Others, like Douglas Thomas, consider the German font more idiosyncratic than many typefacesand its use is totally ok as long as it remains in conversation with the ways it has been used in the past.

Final Remarks

Futura: The retro-futuristic font figured more movie posters than any Hollywood star. It made it to the ads and logos from wide popular brands like Nike and Volkswagen, Barbara Kruger’s artworks, and the Sesame street alphabet. It is everywhere! And it deserves its success because Futura overcame a lot to get this far, like escaping the Nazis and landing the moon. With such an impressive legacy, even when its overuse is criticized, Futura’s ubiquity unquestionably contributes to the way the modern world looks and how we read it.