Vienna Typeface is a three-dimensional portrait of Vienna in 26 letters. The project tries to capture the essence of this magnificent city by illustrating the Latin Alphabet. Each of the illustrated letters is a 3D miniature that picks up an aspect of the viennese lifestyle, a detail or a showplace and portrays them in a diorama.

Monuments like the Stephansdome, the castle of Schoenbrunn, the parliament or the Vienna Prater as well as aspects of viennese lifestyle like the coffee-house-culture or the „Vienna Wurstelstandkultur“ are caputured in the motives. This project aims to authentically portray the city and its unique character.

Concept

The first steps in a foreign, new city often come with a feeling of indisposition. The strange feeling of the unknown shows up everywhere. The first glimpse over the city happens quickly followed by deeper, more detail-oriented views. Finally, the strange feeling disappears and the city has cast its spell on you. Every traveller knows the appeal of discovering a new city, the feeling of getting involved with its culture and the unknown. But what is the magic of this city? What is the essence that its individual character is made of that you finally fall for? Apart from the architecture, discovering the small, beautiful details is part of the experience. The unique vibe of a city is often shaped by the not-obvious, ordinary things.

And that‘s how the illustrations portray the apparently banal characteristics apart from the classical sightseeing-spots: old signings, the style of subway letterings, the look of street signs and traffic lights and boulevards. Those ordinary objects are creative relics and hence proof of the city’s history and give indications on the city’s appearance. Therefore, every letter takes a landmark, a typical building or an architectural style and combines those historically grown objects with the ordinary ones. Historical buildings exist next to objects of the modern world, like the city’s typical garbage cans. By the combination of creations of great architects, Gothic, Art Nouveau and the artistic influence in the look and feel of the city, Vienna developed its unique style that finds expression in the illustrations.

The 26 dioramas are illustrated showcases of the city which portray those elements with model-likely attention to detail. Thereby, every illustration becomes a window from the world into the city, each letter represents a different place or ritual. Each scene stands on a uniform pedestal inscribed with the name of the place by which it was inspired. This perspective on the fascinating details of the city is also reflected in the three-dimensional materials illustrated in the letters; green, oxidized copper struts, facades clad in plaster and scenes built in sandstone can be found in the motifs.

Motivation

I vividly remember the day when the charm of the city cast its spell on me. Its gentle business, its antiquated vibe of the monarchy - it’s a captivating combination of history and spirit of optimism. Located in the heart of Europe, Vienna has always been the melting pot of various cultures and historical events. One could say that the Austrian cosiness meets multiculture, tradition meets modern - these contrasts inspire my own love for the city.

The idea for this artwork came from a personal motivation and was created independently within one year (2021 - 2022) to learn 3D illustrations by self-education. The Latin Alphabet (excluding numbers) served as the starting point for the composition of the illustrations. Within hundreds of hours of modeling, texturing and rendering, 26 letters were created, gradually improved and finally put together.

Technique and style

All illustrations were made in 3D. This technique allows to represent landmarks and city details in a new form. All letters were created in a 3D-program and rendered in a photorealistic style. This form of illustration makes it possible to achieve a high degree of reality but gives the ability to work in an abstract manner. Therefore the essence of the real city architecture could be captured. Playing with proportions, lighting materials, composition and the isometric perspective support the monumental effect of the motifs.

The project was minted along with all letters in the blockchain to ensure copyright in the digital universe as well.

The result is a three-dimensional miniature world as a homage to Austrian roots and the city of Vienna. It’s an invitation to experience it with different eyes and discover its unique and characteristic details.

How did you see the city of Vienna when you first entered it?