Viksjø
Monokrom · Frode Helland · 2019
A single-weight display face by Frode Helland, conceived as a typographic protest against the demolition of architect Erling Viksjø's Y-building in Oslo.
About
Frode Helland translated the ethical principles of Brutalist architecture into letterforms, originally casting the typeface in raw concrete for an exhibition protesting the Y-building's scheduled demolition. The face was released in 2019 and expanded in 2021 with lowercase and a matching italic. Its origins in a specific political and architectural moment give it a weight of meaning that most display typefaces never carry.
Classification
Viksjø draws explicitly on Brutalist architectural principles, translating the raw, uncompromising aesthetic of concrete construction into letterforms. Its single weight and activist origin place it firmly in the display category rather than as a workhorse text face.