Kathow Sans is a geometric sans-serif typeface, designed by Filipa Moreira, João Cardoso, and Pedro Gil in 2024.
Kathow Sans began as a revival project inspired by Manuel Pereira da Silva’s “Tia Lira,” but evolved into a distinctly original typeface influenced by classic geometric sans-serifs such as Adrian Frutiger’s Avenir and Journal Sans New from Paratype. Designed at the Faculdade de Belas Artes da Universidade do Porto as part of the Type Design course in the Master in Graphic Design and Editorial Projects, this typeface merges clean geometry with the thrill of motion.
Drawing visual energy from the high-speed world of racing, Kathow Sans fuses the precision of geometric design with a bold and dynamic personality. This duality makes it both striking and highly usable. Its variable nature allows for styles ranging from Regular to Black, including a Slanted master that evokes the visual tilt of motion on a race track.
Kathow Sans features a slightly elevated x-height, enhancing legibility and providing a visually compact texture, particularly effective in both print and digital settings. Its structured rhythm, curved diagonals, and aerodynamic counters give the typeface a sense of purposeful flow, while maintaining the clarity needed for extended body text. A true hybrid of speed and structure.
See the full specimen booklet here:
