Helios
W Type Foundry · Salvador Rodriguez Felipe Sanzana
A grotesque sans in two subfamilies, Antique and Stencil, spanning nine weights with italics and a wider-than-typical structure for stronger visual impact.
About
Designed by Salvador Rodriguez Felipe Sanzana, Helios takes the rational skeleton of early sans-serifs and widens it slightly beyond historical norms to increase on-page presence. Open terminals and deeper contrast at stroke junctions improve legibility, while distinctive details such as the leg of the R and the tail of the Q give the family a recognisable character. The Stencil subfamily mirrors the full weight range and shifts between neutral and display qualities depending on size.
Classification
Described as a blend of early sans-serif tradition with contemporary sensibility, featuring open terminals, rational structure and slightly wider proportions than classic grotesques. The Stencil subfamily adds a display dimension but the core family sits firmly in the grotesque sans tradition.