Fran Sans – font inspired by San Francisco light rail displays
11 hours ago
- #typography
- #San Francisco
- #design
- Fran Sans is a display font inspired by the LCD panel displays in San Francisco's Muni Breda Light Rail Vehicles.
- The font captures the mechanical yet personal aesthetic of the original displays, which use a 3×5 grid of geometric modules.
- San Francisco's history of utility and charm influenced the design, similar to other iconic city elements like the Golden Gate Bridge and Painted Ladies.
- The original displays were designed by Trans-Lite, Inc., with a focus on sufficiency, leading to a limited but characterful alphabet.
- Fran Sans comes in three styles: Solid, Tile, and Panel, each adding visual complexity while retaining the font's unique charm.
- Inspiration for Fran Sans also came from modular typography history, including Joan Trochut's Tipo Veloz and Zuzana Licko's Lo-Res.
- The Breda vehicles and their displays are being replaced by more efficient LED units, marking the end of an era for this distinctive typography.
- Fran Sans aims to celebrate the imperfections that give cities and life character, resisting the push for pure efficiency.