Hofje

Hofje is a display typeface designed by Ramiro Espinoza and inspired by the lettering above the entrance of the Rijpenhofje, located at Rozengracht 116–138 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Designed by architect A. Salm and built between 1912 and 1913, the complex features an inscription that can be classified as a restrained Jugendstil sans serif, a style sometimes historically referred to as Künstler-Grotesk or “Artist Sans.”
Espinoza studied the proportions, stroke modulation, and distinctive details of the inscription and translated these qualities into a contemporary digital typeface. As with all Brutal Types releases, he refined the forms, improved consistency, and expanded the character set for contemporary use while preserving the balance between functional clarity and decorative refinement that characterizes the original lettering.
With its distinctive blend of geometric clarity and subtle organic styling, Hofje is well suited for branding, editorial design, posters, packaging, book covers, signage, websites, and cultural projects that benefit from a refined and historically informed typographic voice. Rooted in Amsterdam’s early twentieth-century architectural heritage, the typeface brings the sophistication of Jugendstil lettering into contemporary graphic design.