Cina Sans

Cina Sans is the culmination of over thirty years of typographic exploration, drawing from a broad spectrum of experiences rather than adhering strictly to historical precedents. My relationship with Helvetica has been one of both critique and admiration, revisiting it through reinterpretations in 2002, 2009, and 2019, and engaging in conversations about its legacy in publications like Emigre magazine. The seeds of Cina Sans were planted in 2023 when a custom job inquiry sparked the desire to draw my vision of the "perfect sans." This typeface was refined through extensive testing, thoughtful use, and invaluable feedback, leading to multiple iterations and adjustments in the distribution across its nine weights. The design process underscored the importance of adaptability, and technical collaboration with a Google typeface developer ensured that Cina Sans met the highest standards of performance. At its core, Cina Sans is a reflection of my engagement with typographic history—a Neo-Grotesque that feels both new and comfortably familiar. With 1,460 characters in each weight and a range of stylistic sets that can dramatically transform the typeface, my goal was to create something that, like a well-worn book, feels instantly recognizable yet brimming with new possibilities.