Designed by Adrian Frutiger at Deberny & Peignot as a
coordinated family. The various styles are numbered,
with the first digit designating the weight from light to bold
(3–8) and the second the width from wide to narrow (3–9), with even
numbers used for italics. Released for the Lumitype-Photon in 1957
and as foundry type in 1958. Distributed in the U.S. by ATF from
1961. Also cast by Ludwig & Mayer (1970), Haas (1971), and Stempel
(1973). [Osterer & Stamm]
Some styles also by Gujarati [Reichardt] Numerous
adaptations; most notably for machine composition by Monotype
(1961), but also Ludlow, Matrotype, Neotype, Mergenthaler Linotype
(1974); for photo composition incl. Monophoto (1961), Compugraphic
(1967), Mergenthaler Linotype (1969), Berthold et al.; for
dry-transfer lettering by Letraset (1963) and Mecanorma; and for
IBM’s Selectric typewriter (1964). [O&S]
The official digital version is by Linotype (first produced by
Adobe in 1987). Cyrillics by Alexei Chekulayev were added in 2010.
Revised in 1997 as Linotype Univers and renamed to
Univers
Next in 2010, incl. Greek and Cyrillic, with Arabic
and Typewriter
extensions. Other versions More…
Designed by Adrian Frutiger at Deberny & Peignot as a coordinated family. The various styles are numbered, with the first digit designating the weight from light to bold (3–8) and the second the width from wide to narrow (3–9), with even numbers used for italics. Released for the Lumitype-Photon in 1957 and as foundry type in 1958. Distributed in the U.S. by ATF from 1961. Also cast by Ludwig & Mayer (1970), Haas (1971), and Stempel (1973). [Osterer & Stamm] Some styles also by Gujarati [Reichardt] Numerous adaptations; most notably for machine composition by Monotype (1961), but also Ludlow, Matrotype, Neotype, Mergenthaler Linotype (1974); for photo composition incl. Monophoto (1961), Compugraphic (1967), Mergenthaler Linotype (1969), Berthold et al.; for dry-transfer lettering by Letraset (1963) and Mecanorma; and for IBM’s Selectric typewriter (1964). [O&S]
The official digital version is by Linotype (first produced by Adobe in 1987). Cyrillics by Alexei Chekulayev were added in 2010. Revised in 1997 as Linotype Univers and renamed to Univers Next in 2010, incl. Greek and Cyrillic, with Arabic and Typewriter extensions. Other versions include Bitstream’s Zurich (1990), URW Classic Sans, SIL Sophia, and Monotype’s Utah.
Frutiger’s Glypha and Serifa can be regarded as slab-serif companions.
