Pivot Grotesk
Nouvelle Noire · Anton Studer · 2024
A grotesque by Anton Studer that blends the irregularity of early grotesques with forms derived from radial timekeeping lines and logarithmic spirals, originally cut for Theater Basel in 2020.
About
Designed by Anton Studer and originally commissioned by Nouvelle Noire for Theater Basel in 2020, Pivot Grotesk arrived as a retail release in 2024 after refinement and expansion to sixteen styles across eight weights. Its letterforms draw on two visual sources: the radial lines of clocks and movement diagrams, and the logarithmic spirals seen in natural and astronomical phenomena. The result sits outside rational geometric sans territory, carrying an organic energy that makes it suited to cultural institutions and editorial contexts.
Classification
Described explicitly as a grotesque by the foundry, drawing from early grotesque traditions while blending radial and logarithmic spiral forms, resulting in a distinctive, energetic take on the genre.