Sarah Bakker

Breaking Form documents photographic observations collected while walking through Tāmaki Makaurau, exploring how the built environment can inspire an unconventional approach to type design. The research examines the relationship between observation and interpretation, questioning how much of what we see belongs to the original form and how much comes from our own perspective and experiences.

Though layers of tracing, sketching and digital refinement resulting in six refined glyphs and further extended into typographic lettering documented in a practice-led publication. Drawing on data and archival systems, the visual identity brings structure to a collection whose source material is effectively endless. While the publication has a beginning and an end, the possibilities extend far beyond its pages. It proposes observation as a creative strategy, demonstrating how familiar forms can take on new meanings while retaining traces of their origins. It encourages creatives to remain curious, look more closely at their surroundings and reminder there’s inspiration everywhere.