Parsons Type Collective
Paola Delucca
As a design student, finding the perfect typeface is always a challenge. However, nothing is more satisfying than that moment when you finally find the typeface you were looking for on a type foundry website. Some students claim that Adobe Typekit has everything they need, but is that really true?
Can one subscription-based service really provide the best and more artful typefaces such as Aperçu, Sang Bleu BP or other typefaces that can only be found in certain independent foundries? This is where the Parsons Type Collective comes in. This website is a service that is curated by selected students and faculty who recommend families of typefaces that Parsons would then provide to students.
This archive of shared and valuable knowledge is not only a platform for resources. It also creates a strong community by inviting students to submit their work to be featured. Faculty and students can see their peers’ great work, read inspirational interviews and, of course, learn about the typefaces used in the presented projects.
In this way, the Parsons Type Collective does not only initiate communication and offers well deserved exposure, it also demonstrates how design schools can facilitate professional skills students have learned while providing needed tools and guidance from peers and mentors.