What’s in a letter?

The Dubai font is a commitment to a shared digital future that extends beyond borders

The way that our letters are designed can have far-reaching consequences for our lives in the digital cloud. AFP Photo
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Typography is a strange art. It is low tech and as old as the written word. Yet typography is an integral part of our digital age. With the proliferation of smartphones, more people than ever are engaging with the written (or digital) word. As such, the way that our letters are designed can have far-reaching consequences for our lives in the digital cloud.

This country’s commitment to building a world-class knowledge economy that will propel us forward long after our hydrocarbon resources run dry is a subject that we return to often on these pages. While Dubai’s decision to unveil its very own font is an act of deft branding for the city, it is also a sign of our growing commitment to building all aspects of a knowledge economy.

Pushing typography forward in this region will help Dubai stay at the forefront of other changes to the digital landscape. When building a knowledge economy, no component can be overlooked. The new Dubai font is thus part of a much bigger transformation.