TGMRA: Archives and Design Practice

Module code: TGMRA

Module provider: Typography; School of Arts and Comm Design

Credits: 40

Level: 7

When you’ll be taught: Semester 2 / Summer

Module convenor: Professor Gerry Leonidas , email: g.leonidas@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Professor Fiona Ross, email: f.g.e.ross@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2025/6

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 3 April 2025

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module aims to introduce students to the use of archives and collections as a research tool informing design practice, with particular emphasis on the collections within the Department and the University. The module covers methodologies of working with primary archival material, as well as digital artefacts as evidence. Students explore typeface design at the intersection of type-making and typesetting technologies, and investigate the role of primary sources in knowledge construction.  

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Identify and describe archival or other collected material relating to typographic design and production
2. Place archival material in the appropriate political, economic, social, and technological context
3. Identify and analyse perspectives in established sources, including in formal archives and collections
4. Be familiar with the Department and University collections
5. Have gained experience handling and displaying artefacts

Module content

Students commence work with guided independent study on approaches to constructing narratives for craft and design outputs. This includes specific texts on typeface design projects across typemaking technologies. Fortnightly discussions with staff during the semester help identify themes that will be explored in the intensive residential period in the summer period.  

During the summer period students look closely at typeface design for specific typographic applications (such as editorial design, reference works, and signage) across genres and rendering environments. The sessions include lectures, seminars, and workshops with archival material, covering design and evaluation methodologies for revivals, adaptations, and new designs that explore innovation in design. There is particular focus on research approaches to the design for scripts that are under-represented typographically, or where new use scenarios require innovative solutions. Sessions on global scripts start with an understanding of the forms and composition of each script, extend to issues of quality throughout extended families, and the balance of originality and utility in each script and style combination. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module begins with a Semester of guided independent study with fortnightly feedback sessions, which serve as a preparation for the intensive residential period in the beginning of the summer period, and work on a substantial written assignment later in the summer. The sessions make extensive use of the Department and University’s typographic collections, and develop approaches to working with archival material for research and to inform design practice. 

Sessions focus on: 

• identifying the provenance of material 
• placing material in a technological, social, and business context 
• cross-referencing drawings, drafts, and other production material with correspondence and related texts 
• detecting the influence of type manufacture and typesetting considerations on the design process 
• developing criteria for qualitative evaluation of artefacts related to typeface design and production 
• identifying elements that are useful in contemporary practice