Saudi Typeface
The Saudi Typeface is a font reflecting the cultural identity of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It was designed and digitized by the Ministry of Culture (MOC) based upon Arab cultural resources, including inscriptions and copies of the Holy Quran, where its design reflects the aesthetics of Arabic calligraphy. The Ministry of Culture announced the launch of the Saudi typeface on April 16, 2025.
Origins of the Saudi typeface
The Saudi typeface pays tribute to Saudi Arabia's rich cultural and artistic heritage. It bridges the past and the future by blending traditional elements with contemporary design principles, ultimately honoring Saudi Arabia's heritage and inspiring innovation.
In fact, Arabic calligraphy originated in the Arabian Peninsula, home to historical calligraphy and inscriptions, including Musnad, Nabataean, and Thamudic scripts, among others. The typeface went through several stages. It was influenced by the region's cultural and political situation. It spread alongside the Islamic expansion, featuring various styles and several methods of writing. These factors incited the Ministry of Culture to launch the Saudi typeface, ultimately shedding light on the historical dimension of Saudi Arabia.
Design of the Saudi typeface
The design of the Saudi typeface was inspired by Saudi Arabia's identity and culture, upon considering the font's writing rules and technical principles and applying them within a contemporary context that reflects Saudi Arabia's cultural renaissance.
The execution of the Saudi typeface was conducted according to a scientific methodology consisting of five stages, including conducting multiple research featuring research itself, analysis through field visits, extracting and analyzing texts, developing prototypes, typeface redrawing, establishing writing rules and aesthetic rules, developing letters lineage, applications, and writing methods, and finally culminating with review and final assessment, ultimately achieving several deliverables. The latter includes the development of the earliest identity of Arabic calligraphy, the typeface design and digitization via original applications, the development of writing and aesthetic rules, and the development of an alphabet to teach its calligraphy and its simple rules, and ensuring its digitization and availability based on the relevant best practices. The execution of the Saudi typeface involved a team of researchers, including experts from Saudi Arabia and abroad. The project enjoyed the support of the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives (Darah), and the initiative of Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Global Center for Arabic Calligraphy.