Klinker

Klinker is a squarish, modular sans typeface designed by Paula Mastrangelo, inspired by the handsome tile lettering found on the facade of a former butcher shop at Obrechtstraat 177 in The Hague. Boldly geometric and rhythmically spaced, the original inscription—crafted in ceramic tiles—embodies the practical elegance of early 20th-century commercial signage in the Netherlands.
With Klinker, Mastrangelo has transformed these vernacular letterforms into a full digital typeface that preserves their solid, blocky charm while expanding their potential for contemporary use. Its sturdy shapes and modular construction evoke both the hand of the artisan and the logic of the grid, making it ideal for signage, posters, book and record covers, websites, and visual identities that call for character and structure.
Rooted in a specific place and everyday history, Klinker brings a piece of The Hague’s typographic heritage into the present. It’s a celebration of craft, function, and local design.