vasily klyukin models skyscraper font after the new york city skyline

vasily klyukin models skyscraper font after the new york city skyline
all images courtesy of vasily klyukin

the new york city skyline is a vast, dynamic and dramatic landscape of buildings bustling with urbanites and towers extending high in the sky. this ever-changing, undulating panorama of structures and architectural systems has been captured visually through the disciplines of drawing, painting and photography — now, typography.

monaco-based creative vasily klyukin has shared with us the downloadable ‘skyscraper font’, a full keyboard of uppercase letterforms that individually depict monochromatic building typologies and form a cityscape horizon when spelled out into sentences and words. each letter relates to a realistic interpretation of typical new york residences and office spaces, with graphically illustrated windows cut out as apertures in an all-black typographic shape. we spoke with klyukin about his reasons for realizing the typographic project, the creative work he is currently involved in, and his eternal love of cities. 

BOOM!

designboom: can you tell us why you decided to create skyscraper font?

vasily klyukin: after I released my ‘designing legend’ album, I had some autograph-sessions where I signed my book for everyone and wrote their names with letters which look like skyscrapers. every time, I tried to make a beautiful city with the spelling of their name. then I got an idea to make such a font.

the skyscraper font follows the outline of buildings in new york city 

DB: which other fonts do you particularly like?

VK: metropolis, broadway…I like complex designer fonts, but I use times new roman quite often. 

the typographic elements are modeled after the shape and form of skyscrapers in new york city

DB: which other creative work you are involved in?

VK: while I don’t work with graphic software, I can make sketches, drafts and clear technical design specifications. I also create concepts of yachts and skyscrapers, I’m making a family of sculptures based on open books, I wrote a screen play, I draw cartoon characters, I made a bow tie in the shape of cat, and cufflinks in the shape of skyscraper where my office is. I have no time to implement all my ideas, which is why I wrote a fiction novel ‘collective mind’ about creative people and inventors. I described many ideas and concepts there. it’s going to be released in english next year. I created its cover which is a piece of graphic design.

the five boroughs of new york are spelled out in the skyscraper font 

DB: why is it that you prefer work related to high density environments, rather than referring to nature?

VK: I think I get inspiration everywhere. I have many ideas and I spend many hours every day to visualize them. my phone is full of drawings and notes. there are hundreds — from my ideas to make a cola advertising campaign to a transforming helicopter-submarine. I also have many drafts of graffiti.

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