16/03/2026
The new event in the series of single-guest conferences organized by the Istanbul-based international typography platform ISType under the title "Mono" will feature type designer Valerio Monopoli. The event, on March 26th, will serve as a preview of the conference that ISType will hold in Istanbul in September, bringing together the international typography world.
The ISType conference, organized biennially under the leadership of Onur Yazıcıgil, Faculty Member of Sabancı University Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and Founding Partner and Director of ISType, will once again bring together the international typography world in Istanbul this September. Prior to this major gathering, ISType is holding a new event in its series of single-guest conferences under the title "Mono," to be held on March 26th at Salt Galata. This year's guest speaker for Mono will be type designer Valerio Monopoli.
Historical and Contemporary Approaches to the “Segment Type” Format Will Be Examined
Valerio Monopoli will explore the typographic subgenres of “Segment Type” in Mono under the title “A Discovery in Segment Typography,” ranging from familiar forms like 7-segment numerals to lesser-known experimental designs. Monopoli will examine both historical and contemporary approaches, highlighting bold projects that push the boundaries of this format. The conference will also introduce 15 unique segment alphabets developed by the designer using different modular and geometric approaches, ranging from simple to highly complex systems. The conference will conclude with the introduction of a new font family offered on the Off Type platform, inspired by one of these models.
Participants in Mono will gain insights into the creative possibilities of segment-based design, its history, practical applications, and how typographic experiments can contribute to the development of typefaces.
ISType opens a space to explore the forms of typography in different cultures.
The Istanbul-based international typography platform ISType has been bringing together designers, researchers, and educators since 2011 to create a space for exploring typography across different cultures, writing systems, and technologies. ISType 2026, whose content and speakers will be announced in the coming period, will again be an important meeting point that supports the development of new ideas and methods by establishing a dialogue between the historical accumulation of typography and contemporary practices through conferences, lectures, and research-oriented projects.
About Valerio Monopoli
He began his career as a designer in Rome, graduating in Graphic Design from the Rome University of Fine Arts (RUFA). After working on branding and video mapping projects, he moved to Barcelona at 24 to specialize in Editorial Design at Elisava and Type Design at Eina. He later joined Extra! Studio, where he developed custom fonts for clients including Zara Home, Mnactec, and Club de Creativos.
In 2020, he founded Morula Type, a type design studio based on his vision of typefaces as evolving organisms. Since then, Morula Type has collaborated with international foundries, publishing over 25 retail type families used by brands such as Nike, Leica, Museu Picasso, and Riot Games, alongside custom projects worldwide.
His work has received awards including the tdc Ascenders and adc Merit Award and has been featured in publications such as It’s Nice That, New Aesthetic, and Type In Use. He is also a lecturer and public speaker, teaching in master’s programs in Spain and abroad and leading workshops and talks at major international events including the European Design Awards, wdc2022, and the Desina Festival in Naples.
