Can Architecture Play a Role in Type Design? Talking Type with NERTIL.
For this feature, we caught up with our design partner Nertil to explore the thinking behind his latest type release—shaped by spatial structure, material influence, and a layered design process. The story is accompanied by visual references and process material that reflect the architectural logic and the signature visual style deepyellow is known for.
Nertil, a design leader and partner at the TOML collective, is an art director, designer and 3D artist. He’s also the founder of deepyellow, a creative studio working at the intersection of branding, design, animation, and UX/UI.
Typography has always been a balance of form and function but few designers explore that space as experimentally as Nertil, the founder of deepyellow. Known for pushing boundaries, Nertil’s latest release merges industrial aesthetics with futuristic tones, shaped heavily by geometry and fluidity, into a singular typographic statement.
We sat down with Nertil to talk about the thinking behind the studio’s newest type release—one that takes a layered, architectural approach to letterform design. From industrial-era influences to the way light moves across surfaces or how grid systems guide the structure of a typeface, it’s a reminder that design doesn’t exist in isolation. It’s always in conversation with what surrounds it.
Language is deeply tied to identity—and just as language influences how we understand the world, identity shapes how we use language in return. And while we’re here, it feels like the right time to reflect on that kind of thinking, and why it matters. As conversations around background and diversity grow louder, it’s clear that uniqueness and personality stem from identity. And if identity reflects both past and present, it can't exist alone, it’s built through context, and shaped by connection.
In a broader sense, this is what matters: how we express difference. It’s what shapes culture, drives change, and defines how we see ourselves. Beyond questions of isolation or self-definition, we believe typography can help ground that conversation. It reminds us why expression matters, and how design defines what we stand for—individually and collectively.
Because at the end of the day, creative work has an influence. And how we use that influence, what we choose to put out into the world, is part of the responsibility.
In this interview, we take a closer look at deepyellow’s newest typeface: what inspired it, how it came to life, and why it’s more than just a font.
So, let’s start with the basic question everyone asks you. Where do you get your inspiration from?
Nertil:
Inspiration comes from all over. I can’t always pinpoint it. Sometimes it’s the structure of a building, other times it’s the way light hits a surface. I’ve been inspired by mechanical parts, natural patterns, even unexpected details. But more often than not, it’s about playing with form and seeing where it leads.
For Deepyellow Alphabet, a lot of the thinking came from classic grid-based graphic design where simplicity, order, and structure come together in a way that just works.
What inspired you to create this new typeface …and what’s the story behind it?
Nertil:
Everything started as an experiment. We’ve always explored different ways to incorporate 3D into simple type design. We were especially interested in how 3D thinking could shift our approach to type—not just as form, but as something spatial, with depth, weight, and intention.
The goal wasn’t just to design letters, but to rethink how type can behave in space. By applying principles of structure and shape, we developed a visual language—one that opens up new ways to express meaning, words, and emotion through dimensional form.
How would you describe the style and personality of your newly launched typeface?
Nertil:
I’d say it’s a mix of industrial and futuristic. It’s bold, geometric, and structured, but it still feels fluid and dynamic. The forms have a certain edge—almost architectural but there’s enough softness in the curves to balance it out. It’s not just a typeface to read; it’s one to experience.
The shapes are inspired by simple graphic design forms with rounded edges, built around a 5x5 grid system, which gives the typeface a modular and balanced structure.
While your typeface “feels very futuristic and industrial,” would you say it carries influences from architectural design?
Nertil:
Absolutely. Architecture, especially modernist and brutalist styles has always been a huge source of inspiration for us. It’s not just about aesthetics, but about systems, structure, and how space is used with intention. For example, the way buildings use space, light, and structure really resonates with how we approach type.
In Deepyellow Alphabet you can see that influence in the way the letterforms balance weight and negative space. Each character feels almost like a tiny architectural piece, where form and function work together. It’s an exercise in how form can communicate quietly, with clarity and restraint. Like good architecture, it holds space rather than fills it.
Outside of typography, what other creative fields shape the way you design?
Nertil:
A lot, honestly. Product design, sculpture, motion graphics, and even fashion play a huge role. We’re constantly looking at how materials, shapes, and textures behave in different contexts.
But one of the biggest influences on this typeface came from graphic design principles—using simple geometric forms structured within a strict 5×5 grid system to guide proportion, rhythm, and consistency, while keeping the forms clean and modular. It all connects to the roots of graphic design influence from 1950 called swiss style.
Can you walk us through your creative process when designing typefaces in general? Where do you usually begin? Was it different for this particular project?
Nertil:
We usually start by exploring the form, sketching shapes, testing proportions, or experimenting with 3D models. For Deepyellow Alphabet, we started by experimenting with abstract 3D shapes, figuring out how they could be broken down into modular letterforms. Then, of course we applied a 5x5 grid system to keep everything balanced and consistent.
We used 3ds Max to model the forms, giving us the control to build and fine-tune each structure with precision. Once the core shapes were in place, we used V-Ray to render them and see how light and shadow played across the surfaces. This helped us fine-tune the details and ensure that the typeface maintained its dimensional character. Once the 3D forms felt right, we transitioned the designs into Glyphs to refine the letterforms and finalize the typeface.
What conversations have you been having lately about typography?
Nertil:
Lately, the conversation has been shifting toward how typography can move beyond being static. With 3D, AR, and interactive design becoming more accessible, there’s growing interest in how letterforms can live and respond within dynamic, spatial environments.
We’re also thinking more about how AI is reshaping the design landscape. Not just in terms of speed or automation, but how it might influence the creative process itself, where it helps, where it challenges, and how to keep the human touch alive in an increasingly automated space.
Can you give us some insight into your techniques, like were there any specific tools that played a big role in designing this typeface?
Nertil:
Absolutely. The process started in 3ds Max, where we modeled the core forms using basic geometry as a foundation. The platform gave us precise control over proportions, which was essential for testing structural variations and refining spatial relationships within each character.
Once the base models were shaped, we moved into V-Ray for rendering. This helped us simulate lighting conditions and observe how highlights, shadows, and surface depth would read in different environments—critical for understanding how the type would perform off-screen or in motion.
After we locked in the 3D structure, the final vector work was done in Glyphs. That’s where we fine-tuned the letterforms, ensuring balance, alignment, and legibility. Throughout, we worked within a strict 5×5 grid system, a framework that helped us maintain visual rhythm and coherence across the entire typeface. It wasn’t just about aesthetic consistency but also about systemizing form, space, and function in a way that held up across mediums.
How do you see AI shaping the future of design or typography in this case? Do you see it as a tool for creativity or a challenge to traditional design?
Nertil:
I see AI as a powerful tool that can handle repetitive tasks like kerning and spacing, giving designers more freedom to focus on creative thinking and the bigger picture. It speeds up the process and opens up new possibilities. But the real magic still comes from the human touch.
AI can generate ideas, but it can’t replace intuition or emotional nuance. So, while AI is a great collaborator, I don’t think it’s a threat to creativity. It’s more like a tool that helps us push boundaries faster.
Written by Debora Deva
Debbie is a writer, art director, and multidisciplinary creative at TOML Collective. With a background in advertising, she brings fresh perspectives to the journal — aiming to educate, question, and spark new ideas.
Get in touch with debora@tomlcollective.com