TF, 2 letters that signify at the same time Type Foundry and Typographie Française (French Typography). 205TF is a type foundry that brings together the work of independent typeface designers, some of them well known, others closer to the beginning of their career, all highly talented. Each of them developing characters where a certain French spirit can be felt. 205TF is a foundry on a human scale, and beyond the distribution of their work, it supports typeface designers by making their creations available to a wider audience, allowing for greater recognition of their work.
205TF makes a choice of quality: a small number of creators, a precise selection of characters. The number is of little importance, the quality however is essential.
All of the characters are developed according to common standards (set standard, set pro and set spécial). The typefaces have – at a minimum – an extended set of characters (Latin extended) and this allows them to be used for compositions in a wide range of languages. With an Opentype format, they provide access to specific characters such as small capitals (according to the characters), different series of figures (aligned, old style, proportional and tabular), ligatures, fractions, etc.
This format allows access to specific typographic settings according to the characters. - For the group of characters – functions “All caps”, “Case sensitive punctuation”, “Tabular lining figures”, “Tabular old-style figures”, “Proportional old-style figures”, “Ligatures”, “Fractions”, “Ordinals”, “Contextual alternates”, “Localized forms”, etc.
For certain characters — “Small capitals”, “Capitals to Small Capitals”.
The presentation and interest of each function are detailed in the typeface specimens that can be downloaded for each typeface.
The groups of characters function with both MacOs and Windows platforms and have been tested for Office and Adobe applications. They can then be easily installed on the vast majority of computers and the direct transfer of a file that uses 205TF typefaces from one platform to another and from a Macintosh version of software to a Windows version of software is a process which is seamless.
For cases involving a specific and/or proprietary operating system or specific software, please contact us directly.
Team
Rémi Forte, Foundry Manager
As Foundry Manager, Rémi Forte supports 205TF’s type designers in the development of their projects. He is also in charge of the foundry’s communication and customer relations.
Alongside his work for 205TF, Rémi is developing a practice-based research thesis in the TransCrit Research Unit (University of Paris 8), which follows his studies at the École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts (ENSBA) in Lyon, and Atelier national de recherche typographique (ANRT) in Nancy.
He also teaches graphic design and typography.
Damien Gautier, Founder and Partner
Cofounder of 205TF in 2017, Damien Gautier is codirecting the foundry’s operations and contributing to the catalogue as a type designer. His typefaces are available exclusively at 205TF, such as Maax, Plaak, Plaax, Alcalá or Beretta.
Florence Roller, Founder and Partner
Cofounder of 205TF in 2017, Florence Roller is codirecting the foundry’s operations. She leads with Damien Gautier the graphic design studio Bureau 205 and the publishing house Éditions deux-cent-cinq. Coauthor of 3 manuals on visual identity, posters and typography, she holds a degree from the École supérieure des Arts du Rhin in Strasbourg (HEAR).
New releases are carefully selected every year by the team and its advisory board, comprised of Matthieu Cortat, Thomas Huot-Marchand and Alice Savoie. They stand for a level of quality that our customers deserve and look for.
Matthieu Cortat is a type designer. He has designed several custom typefaces for clients, such as Eastpak, Caran d’Ache, the City of Lausanne, the Terminal Four at JFK Airport in New York or the TV channel Eurosport. He is Head of Master Type Design at the University of Art and Design Lausanne (ECAL). His typefaces are exclusively available at 205TF, including the most recent ones Zénith, Cosimo, Helvetius, Yorick or Molitor.
Thomas Huot-Marchand divides his time between teaching, type design and graphic design. Since 2012, he is Director of the Atelier national de recherche typographique (ANRT) in Nancy. A former resident of the Académie de France in Rome – Villa Médicis in 2006–2007, then at the Hoffmitz Milken Center for Typography of Pasadena from May to July of 2019, he is now living and working in Besançon, where his activity as a Graphic Designer has developed mainly in the cultural sector. He has been a member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI) since 2010. The typefaces of Thomas Huot-Marchand are exclusively available at 205TF, such as Album, Garaje, Minérale or Minuscule.
Alice Savoie is an independent type designer and researcher. She holds an MA and a PhD from the University of Reading. As a practicing type designer she has collaborated with international foundries and design studios. Her recent type design works include Faune, an award-winning typeface family for the French Centre national des arts plastiques. She teaches at ANRT in Nancy (France) and ECAL in Lausanne (Switzerland). 205TF distributes her typeface Romain 20.
Charly Derouault, Alexis Faudot and Federico Parra regularly collaborate with the foundry as graphic and type designers.
Roxane Gataud did work with 205TF from 2016 to 2020 as a type designer and font engineer.
Thomas Leblond, a graphic designer, participated in the creation of the foundry in 2017.
We look forward to possible font proposals. Please do not hesitate to contact us for sharing your projects.
Dédale, designed by Thomas Bouville in 2020, is a hybrid type family inspired by inscriptions carved into the stone of the underground passages of the Paris Catacombs*.
Identified while exploring underground, the diversity of the inscriptions and their varying states of erasure inspired the designer’s unique approach. Rather than seeking to unearth the original drawings of the stone engravers (in an attempt to “rewind” the flow of time), Thomas Bouville sought to reveal links between the inscriptions and wanted, on the contrary, to give a sense of the passing of time.
The varying structure of the letters, common between styles, skillfully evokes the ossuary. It emphasizes an analogy between the letter and the human body, composed of both a skeleton and a physical envelope. The evolution of the three styles – from lineal to slab serif – shows the effect of time and the passage of life towards death.
The Light version – a slab serif made elegant by the contrast between its refined appearance and the prominent serifs – is designed for composing large sized titles with subtlety. The Regular – an incised typeface with pronounced extremities, is designed for reading long texts. The Bold version – a neo-grotesque sans serif that conserves certain details of the incised form – is useful for its strong lines. Each style has its own italic.
Dédale is also available as a variable font, allowing the design to move freely between the three styles, with the technology seeming to play with time.
*Dédale was originally created for the visual identity of the Paris Catacombs.
Lowercases
Standard punctuation
Caps punctuation
Proportional lining figures
Proportional old style figures
Tabular lining figures
Tabular old style figures
Prebuild & automatic fractions
Superiors/inferiors
Ordinals
Symbols & mathematical signs
Standard ligatures
Discretionary ligatures
Accented uppercases
Accented lowercases
Arrows
Ornaments
This standard corresponds to a set of characters that respond to the Extended Latin standard. It allows for the composition of a large majority of Western European languages. To do this, signs have been added to the standard latin alphabet, either through use of diacritic signs, or through construction of specific signs. The Extended Latin standard does not contain specific Cyrillic or Greek characters. The detail of the characters available for each typeface is presented in the typeface specimen that you can download from our website.
The list of languages in which it is possible to compose is in the specimen.
Injurial was designed during the editorial design of a novel by Boll, published by Tripode, in 2014. This humorous thriller features many mediums, and specifically some pretty aggressive graffiti. Sandrine Nugue chose to design a sharp, elegant typeface to be used for insults.
The result is Injurial, a typeface made to withstand the worst, while saying it with refinement and eloquence. Its proportions are those of monumental Roman capitals, and it possesses a light weight which reveals only a very slight contrast. Categorized as an incise, or glyphic serif, consisting solely of capitals, it is ideal for setting titles.
Standard Punctuation
Proportional Lining Figures
Prebuild Fractions
Superiors/Inferiors
Ordinals
Symbols & Mathematical Signs
Arrows
Ornaments
This standard corresponds to a set of characters that respond to the Extended Latin standard. It allows for the composition of a large majority of Western European languages. To do this, signs have been added to the standard latin alphabet, either through use of diacritic signs, or through construction of specific signs. The Extended Latin standard does not contain specific Cyrillic or Greek characters. The detail of the characters available for each typeface is presented in the typeface specimen that you can download from our website.
The list of languages in which it is possible to compose is in the specimen.
This concise typeface was originally designed for the eponymous city in Bourgogne, in 1995. Ultimately it was never used as planned for the signage in the municipal buildings.
In 2011, Damien Gautier completely overhauled this typeface to make it more lively. Its design has become simplified and stated. A number of details reveal surprising choices for this typeface that nonetheless retains its engraved origins. The numerous ligatures are a clear sign of this.
With the efficient and precious help of Roxane Gataud.
Superiors/Inferiors
Ordinals
Discretionary Ligatures
Stylistic Alternates
This standard corresponds to the Standard set to which are added specific signs depending on each typeface (alternative signs, stylistic signs, etc.) The detail of the available characters for each typeface is presented in the typeface specimen that you can download from our website.
After the success of Louize and Louize Display, Matthieu Cortat completes the elegant Louize Family with Louize Display Condensed available in three weights: Regular, Medium and Bold.
In 1846, Lyonnese printer, Louis Perrin commissioned founder Francisque Rey to cut a series of capitals inspired by monumental roman inscriptions. They have been used to compose “Les Inscriptions antiques de Lyon”, a book by Alphonse de Boissieu. In 1855, the typeface was completed by series of lowercase, some coming from the printshop of Rey, others designed by Perrin himself. His “Augustaux”, one of the first “revivals” in the history of typography, became rapidly successful, launching the “Renouveau Elzévirien” movement.
With Louize Family, Matthieu Cortat provides a contemporary reinterpretation of the Augustaux. It retains a wise and serene tone, a clear grey of text, the soft roundness of the curves. Louize is discreet, calm, harmonious.
For use in titles, Louize is available in a Display version. This sharp and clear variant is inspired by letters carved in stone. It brings a new contemporary freshness to this timeless typeface. The Display variants also offer, in the roman styles, a series of ligatures inspired by stone cutters traditions. Those features also appear in the condensed cuts.
Proportional Lining Figures
Proportional Old Style Figures
Tabular Lining Figures
Tabular Old Style Figures
Roman Numerals
Automatic Fractions
Superiors/Inferiors
Ordinals
Discretionary Ligatures
Arrows
This standard corresponds to a set of characters that respond to the Extended Latin standard. It allows for the composition of a large majority of Western European languages. To do this, signs have been added to the standard latin alphabet, either through use of diacritic signs, or through construction of specific signs. The Extended Latin standard does not contain specific Cyrillic or Greek characters. The detail of the characters available for each typeface is presented in the typeface specimen that you can download from our website.
The list of languages in which it is possible to compose is in the specimen.
- Album Sans
- Album Slab
- Garaje Cond A
- Garaje Cond B
- Garaje Cond C
- Garaje Cond D
- Garaje Cond E
- Garaje Cond Mono A
- Garaje Cond Mono B
- Garaje Cond Mono C
- Garaje Cond Mono D
- Garaje Cond Mono E
- Garaje Mid
- Garaje Multi
- Garaje Total
- Garaje Wide A
- Garaje Wide B
- Garaje Wide Mono A
- Garaje Wide Mono B
- Minérale
- Minuscule
Minérale is a typeface designed with unusual stems, whose sides intersect. It was originally conceived as a geometrical exaggeration of the structure of traditional serif faces, where the central part of the vertical stems are thinned. Here this phenomenon is pushed to its limits: rather than a flared rectangle, the stem becomes two triangles connected at their tips, creating a clear, almost luminous zone around the central line of the letterforms.
Fairly sober in its thinnest versions, the typeface becomes more exuberant in its heavier weights: the contrast is tilted, resulting in a silhouette close to the old “Italian” typefaces, with horizontal stress.
The italics share a similar structure, but display a design of their own. Their curvy stems turn around a vertical line. Almost upright in the lighter weight (5°), the axis becomes extreme in the heaviest weight (21°).
The whole family is multiplexed: from ExtraLight to Black, in both uprights and italics, all weights share exactly the same widths and kerning tables. This way any variant can be substituted to another, without impacting textflow.
Minérale is also developed as a variable font.
Minérale Variable is the first typeface published by 205TF that explores the new potential of OpenType Font Variations. With this technology, you can choose the exact weight you need or want!
(Available with the complete family font).
Proportional Old Style Figures
Tabular Lining Figures
Tabular Old Style Figures
Superiors/Inferiors
Ordinals
Stylistic Alternates
Arrows
Variable font (roman & italic) is only joined to the complete family (Pack Total).
This standard corresponds to a set of characters that respond to the Extended Latin standard. It allows for the composition of a large majority of Western European languages. To do this, signs have been added to the standard latin alphabet, either through use of diacritic signs, or through construction of specific signs. The Extended Latin standard does not contain specific Cyrillic or Greek characters. The detail of the characters available for each typeface is presented in the typeface specimen that you can download from our website.
The list of languages in which it is possible to compose is in the specimen.