This typeface is central to the visual identity APFEL developed for a Design for London regeneration project focusing on the Royal Docks, a former industrial hub adjacent to the Thames in east London. It was designed to fit harmoniously within the existing vernacular signage, lettering and architecture of the remaining dock buildings in the area, capturing the history of the Royal Docks and connecting it with the emerging vision for its future.

Our design referenced the plate metal lettering seen on shipbuilders’ works, cast-iron bridge plates, and the mechanical Stothert and Pitt Cranes that line the docks. As many of these original constructions have since been lost, we explored archival material within the Stratford Library and the Museum of London Docklands, searching for remnants of this rich history to incorporate within the typeface design.

Typeface design by A Practice for Everyday Life. Type development and engineering by Alice Savoie.