Mala
Bold Monday · Barbara Bigosińska · 2013
A 32-style sans designed by Barbara Bigosińska with cartography and information labelling in mind, spanning three widths with swash capitals and rich OpenType features.
About
Developed from 2013 to 2016 via the Type and Media course at KABK in The Hague, Mala spans Normal, Condensed and Extended widths across eight weights, with italics in the normal width. The family is built around the specific demands of maps and layered data — where type must distinguish, label and structure rather than read continuously. Two sets of decorative swash capitals, small caps, extensive ligatures, ornaments, arrows and multiple numeral sets make it unusually well-equipped for complex typographic layouts.
Classification
Mala is described as having modern proportions with a hint of typewriter-feel, suggesting a humanist sans with idiosyncratic, slightly quaint character rather than a strict geometric or grotesque approach.