TYPO 101: What's up with DAX?

Scouring the magazines that I receive by mail and the news-stands, notice a very strange phenomenon; a fair number of local magazine are using the Fontfont typeface DAX. PhotoVideoi, SALT and the Konica Minolta Newsletter. Discovered the typeface about four years ago and used it for the Caffeine identity (damn!).

Don’t get me wrong, Dax is a beautiful typeface. High x-height, space saving and highly readable. Not so great for columns but great for headlines. Especially like the condensed version. A bit of background: Dax is a derivative from Futura created by German renaissance man of sort, Hans Reichel. Reichel is a composer, musician, inventor, designer – sound like someone we know. Should check out Reichel’s site. Helvetica receive its homage, looks like a Dax book might be on its way. Any bets?