When Cynthia Huiwen Tan took on the task of reimagining Art Nouveau for the 36 Days of Type challenge, she wasn’t just drawing letters; she was reinterpreting history through a modern lens. Her typeface, “Neuveau A to Z,” is an homage to Hector Guimard’s curvaceous designs, sparked by a trip to the Cooper Hewitt while a student at Parsons School of Design. Under the guidance of Charlotte Von Hardenburgh, Tan transformed the elegance and fluidity of Guimard’s Paris Métro entrances into a digital masterpiece that feels both rooted in the past and vibrantly futuristic. Bold, experimental, and brimming with creative energy, “Neuveau” isn’t just a typeface—it’s a reinvention of what type can be.

By: Cynthia Huiwen Tan, Designer, Sparks, & Former Student, Parsons School of Design

I first encountered the Art Nouveau movement during my freshman year of college and was captivated by its elegance and fluidity. My curiosity about this resurfaced almost two years later when I enrolled in a course titled “Type History: From A to Z,” taught by art curator and historian Charlotte Von Hardenburgh. Charlotte’s poise was evident in her lectures and her distinctive attire—butter-yellow garments accessorized with bold, spiraling silver bangles. At that time, Charlotte was a curatorial fellow at Cooper Hewitt, and she took our class on a field trip to the museum to explore the Hector Guimard exhibition, which served as the original inspiration for my typeface design. 

“Neuveau” is an experimental typeface inspired by Hector Guimard’s oeuvre and the fluid aesthetics of Art Nouveau. This typeface was created as part of the 36 Days of Type challenge, which invites creatives to design a letter or number each day for 36 consecutive days. 

Hector Guimard (1867–1942) was a renowned French architect and designer who was celebrated for his iconic Paris Métro entrances featuring his distinctive, flowing ironwork. The exhibition, titled “Hector Guimard: How Paris Got Its Curves,” showcased his ornate designs across various objects, from garments to furniture, epitomizing “le Style Guimard.” A particularly memorable piece for me was a tomb closure grille, an exceptional example of Guimard’s Art Nouveau metalwork. Its sleek, flowing design contrasts boldly with the wrought iron material, a characteristic I aimed to capture in the “Neuveau” typeface. 

Given the daily design requirement of the challenge, I focused more on abstraction and stylistic portrayal rather than intricate detail. Every three days, the typeface’s technique would shift, varying from a textural and sleek “F” to a symmetrical “I” adorned with floral ornaments. This process, which I describe as redefining “Le Style Guimard” with a modern twist using digital techniques, culminated in a complete typeset that stands as a unique artwork in its own right. I hope this project offers fresh perspectives and ignites new imaginations about the possibilities of transforming iconic art movements.

Cynthia Huiwen Tan is a designer from Toronto who is currently based in New York City. As a designer, Cynthia imbues her work with observations of the mundane. As a human, Cynthia is inherently curious about language, culture, and identity. Occasionally, she interviews other creatives about their practice or collaborates on various projects with her peers. She currently works in experience design and strategy at Sparks.

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