Stratum 1

Design Information

Character Sets

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PDF Specimens

Stratum In Use

Price & Purchase Options

Stratum 1 & 2
Designed by Eric Olson 2003–2004

Stratum is a family of typefaces built from a synthesis of contemporary and historical sources. The austere geometry of early 20th century display faces paired with a desire for a contemporary lowercase have merged to produce this family of six weights.

Formats	Mac	Both OpenType and PostScript T1 Included
	Windows	Both OpenType and PostScript T1 Included

Styles	6 fonts	Thin, Light, Regular, Medium, Bold and Black

A Few Notes
During its development, the aim of Stratum was to create a companion lowercase for the caps while staying true to the inherent geometry of the face. A geometric lowercase is often held back by strict systems (first b) or clogged joins (second b). Stratum avoids these trappings and merges the two approaches in a way similar to symmetrical grotesques.

Optical Adjustments
In keeping with the fusion of geometric and typographical sources, optical adjustments have been made to pair the lowercase with the even tone of the caps. Overshoot (where applicable) and horizontal thinning occur throughout. Shown below is an overlay of the b, n and o.

Shape Modulation
As the weights from Thin to Black (shown) increase, the severity of the geometry has been adjusted to maintain clarity. As a result, the lighter weights are soft and round while the darker weights are squarish and sharp.

Stratum 1 vs. Stratum 2
To accommodate a range of design situations, Stratum is available in two variations. Stratum 1 (top line) has angled terminals and Stratum 2 (bottom line) has flat terminals. When purchased as a group the second is available at an 80% discount.