This lecture frames the History and Futures module as a process of making work for the future while remaining critically aware of the past. Teresa emphasises that history is not treated as static reference material, but as an active thread running through the module, informing how designers understand society, culture, and communication. The central concern is the role graphic design plays in shaping narratives — how stories can be distilled, reformed, or remodelled to serve new purposes. This positions graphic design as a cultural practice rather than a purely aesthetic one.
A key focus of the lecture is typography as a lived and contextual language. Teresa challenges the narrow definition of typography as simply “the design of writing,” instead framing it as a visual system that carries personality, values, and meaning. Typography is described as capable of illustrating ideas on its own, without relying on imagery. This reinforces the idea that letterforms are not neutral containers of text, but expressive tools shaped by context, material, and use.
The lecture strongly encourages observation as a design method. Through examples such as ghost signs in Bath, Teresa demonstrates how vernacular lettering reveals layers of social, economic, and historical change. These signs persist not because they were designed to last, but because of circumstance, protection, or neglect. Their survival allows designers to read cities as archives, where typography records shifts in industry, commerce, and cultural priorities. This connects directly to the Week 1 task of photographing local lettering, encouraging students to look up, slow down, and notice what is usually overlooked.
Teresa also discusses how typography education benefits from understanding its material origins. Her background in letterpress and hot metal type highlights how physical processes train the eye to recognise spacing, balance, and proportion. This tactile knowledge contrasts with digital design environments, where default software settings can obscure typographic decisions. By understanding where typographic terminology originates — such as uppercase, lowercase, leading, and kerning — designers become more intentional and critical in their use of type.
The lecture then moves into branding and identity, showing how typographic decisions shape perception, trust, and memorability. Examples such as the London 2012 Olympics logo and the Victoria and Albert Museum identity demonstrate how type can operate as a radical or enduring marker of cultural values. These case studies highlight that strong typographic identities often provoke resistance initially, yet become embedded over time. This reinforces the idea that graphic design participates in shaping collective memory.
Teresa’s personal project examples underline the importance of finding connections between seemingly disparate ideas. Her yoga identity project demonstrates how close typographic observation can generate meaningful visual metaphors without relying on clichés. This process of auditing existing visual language, identifying conventions, and then subtly disrupting them aligns closely with the module’s emphasis on distillation rather than decoration.
In concluding, the lecture positions typography as an underappreciated but powerful form of graphic design. Teresa encourages students not to fear typography or treat it as technical, but to engage with it through looking, adjusting, and refining. Typography is framed as something that rewards attention and care, and as a site where designers can create meaningful interventions. This perspective supports practice-based research approaches that value observation, iteration, and sensitivity to context — all central to the History and Futures module.
Why this lecture matters for my project
Without forcing an idea, this lecture strongly supports: