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Columbia Sans for Sciences & Avenir magazine

Initially commissioned by the monthly French magazine Sciences & Avenir, Columbia is an unorthodox blend of multiple historical models.

Early on, drawings for the typeface resembled a “sans serif version of Times New Roman,” but designer Jean-Baptiste Levée soon extended his exploration to include the 16th-and 17th-century typography epitomized by Guillaume Le Bé and Christophe Plantin. Columbia also unearths the so-called Elzevir style—an example of cross-pollination between French and Dutch flavors. The resulting combination establishes a confident and trustworthy voice.


  • Client

    Sciences & Avenir Magazine, 2013.

  • Art Direction

    Thierry Verret

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