Nizioleti
Abyme · John Morgan and Adrien Vasquez · 2011
A single-style uppercase display face drawn from Venice's painted street sign tradition, designed by John Morgan and Adrien Vasquez between 2011 and 2017.
About
Originally developed for the identity of Common Ground, the 13th Venice Architecture Biennale, this face draws on the nizioleti, painted stencil letters set within white plaster panels affixed to Venetian walls since the early 19th century. Rather than a straight revival, Morgan and Vasquez synthesised forms that evolved across the sign system over time, including an O with a double cut, an R with a loosely curled tail and a distinctive arrow glyph. Available in one uppercase-only style, it carries a strong sense of place and institutional weight.
Classification
Drawn from Venice's painted street sign tradition, Nizioleti is a stencil-influenced display face with a single uppercase style, placing it firmly in the display category with a stencil subcategory.