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Written by contributors to the Vernacular Type Project.
In this interview design educator and typographic researcher Steffi Neukirchen discusses her Signs of Saigon project, and what made her interested in vernacular typography in Vietnam. She shares her experience photographing and documenting signs in a wet market in Vietnam, and the discoveries she made along the way.
In the spring of 2026 I had the great pleasure of meeting Brahim Boucheikha, a type designer, graphic designer and educator from Morocco who splits his time between Paris and Marrakesh. In this conversation with Brahim, we discuss his interest in typography and design, as well as the unique visual culture of Morocco.
In an essay in the book Walker Evans: Signs, cultural critic Andrei Codrescu describes the 20th century as one of “popular writing… lettering that invaded every nook and cranny and even wrote the skyline.” Evans’ photographs didn’t just record signs—they taught viewers “how to see America.”
The Vernacular Type Project aims to contribute to the global graphic design canon and extend its vision beyond 20th century modernism, elevating the lived, human design experience in cultures around the world, and thus “centering” their contributions to design.
Meena Kadri takes us to India to appreciate the flamboyant work of the country's 'sign-wallas'.
A historical overview of sign-painting’s rise and fall in India.
An overview of three creatives celebrating the rich visual history of street type.
An interview with Hoai Minh Phuong, one of Ho Chi Minh City’s remaining sign painters.
Sans-Phố is a Vietnamese-lanugage typeface based on cut-out street signs.
Bric Coutagne photographed hand-lettered signage in Saigon’s Binh Tay Market.