Dutch "NEN 3225" digitized?

[Theunis de Jong]

This topic was imported from the Typophile platform

In 1962, the Dutch "Institute for Normalization" (NEN) published a guide for proper letter designs, both a sans and a serif. According to Middendorp,

The official digital version of the NEN 3225 alphabets has been made available at the type production Visualogik in 's-Hertogenbosch

("Dutch Type", p. 299).

Are these fonts somewhere available?

[Theunis de Jong]

A sample of the Sans in use in Amsterdam:

(from http://www.kuitenbrouwer.nl)

Rems Blogt notes

Amsterdam street signs feature the sans-serif font described in the national norm NEN 3225:1962, which designer Sem Hartz had some influence on apparently. [..] (Also, public typeface design by committee, where have we heard that before?)

As the original document shows (p. viii), Hartz indeed was part of the committee:

Ir. H.G.J. Schelling, architect NV. Nederlandsche Spoorwegen, Utrecht (chairman)
Prof. Dr. G.W. Ovink, estethic advisor Lettergieterij "Amsterdam" v/h Tetterode (secretary)
S.L. Hartz, graphic designer Joh.Enschede, Haarlem
Jan van Krimpen, typograph, Joh. Enschede, Haarlem
H.C. Warmelink, notary and type specialist, Amsterdam
Prof. Ir. C. Wegener Sleeswijk, architect Amsterdam

[David Vereschagin]

Have you tried contacting Visualogik? Their "under construction" website hasn't been updated in over a year, but it might be worth a try.

David

[Theunis de Jong]

Actually, I'd be more interested in any other -- non-"official" -- interpretations!
A collegeau of mine owns the original 1962 guide, and in it the characters are printed on millimeter paper, so re-creating them should be quite easy. I'm wondering if anyone has "been there, done that" (possibly followed by "thrashed it").

[hrant]

AFAIK the Visualogik people work with the Neufville people, so maybe try asking the latter.

hhp