Commissioned by GQ magazine, Gotham is inspired by mid-20th-century New York architectural lettering, notably that of the Port Authority Bus Terminal. It aimed to capture an honest, straightforward American aesthetic.
At a glance
Origin: Hoefler & Frere-Jones, New York, United States.
Designer: Tobias Frere-Jones.
Date: 2000.
Evolution
It was expanded with many widths and weights, as well as Gotham Rounded, before becoming one of the most used typefaces of the 2000s and 2010s.
Famous examples
It was at the heart of Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign and appears on the cornerstone of One World Trade Center.
Current use
It remains very present in brand identities, politics, sport and advertising.
Alternatives
Montserrat, Proxima Nova, Avenir.
Great typefaces glossary
Akzidenz-Grotesk, Arial, Avenir, Baskerville, Bodoni, Caslon, Circular, Cooper Black, Didot, DIN, FF Meta, Franklin Gothic, Frutiger, Futura, Garamond, Georgia, Gill Sans, Gotham, Graphik, Helvetica, IBM Plex, Inter, Minion, Montserrat, Myriad, Neue Haas Grotesk, Optima, Poppins, Roboto, Sabon, SF Pro, Source Sans, Source Serif, Times New Roman, Univers, Verdana