Meet the Lithuanian designer growing his own plant-based typeface

When Lithuanian designer Sigitas Gužauskas decided to create his own, truly authentic typeface, he ditched his computer and embraced the power of plants.

By placing seedlings inside pre-drawn outlines, Gužauskas created TYPE GARDEN — living letters which evolve and change with each new sprout or bud.

All of the letters grow in a controlled, miniature ecosystem bathed in blue and red lights, otherwise known as the type growing machine.

Originally designed as an experiment, Gužauskas says the work also stands as an independent artwork.

“TYPE GARDEN merges two types of information: the genetic code of plants and the code of natural language typeface,” he told The Calvert Journal. “The transformation of each typeface was constantly observed and documented. It could be a source of inspiration or a method for generating new visual forms.”

Gužauskas’ work is now set to be shown at the Travelling Letters exhibition at the Vilnius Academy of Arts Graphic Design Department