Lamu Typeface

Capturing a Swahili island in letterforms.

After a trip to Lamu I became obsessed with how every doorway felt like a story. Ornate teak panels, coral stone arches, brass studs, and calligraphic flourishes seemed to hum with centuries of trade between Arabia, India, and the East African coastline. The font set out to translate that slow, handcrafted architecture into a contemporary voice.

The process was intentionally patient. I cycled through dozens of drawings, refining curls, counters, and serifs so each character echoed the island’s geometry without collapsing into pastiche. Kerning pairs were tested against Swahili, English, and Arabic loan words to make sure the rhythm stayed musical no matter the language.

Beyond the letterforms I wrote a short commentary, pairing the font with photography, textures, and pattern studies from the island. The end result feels like a keepsake from paradise—bold enough for headlines, soft enough for editorial use, and rooted in an African narrative told from within.