Primarium

In early 2022, independent type foundry TypeTogether embarked on a groundbreaking research project to explore the state of Latin script-based handwriting education in primary schools in over 40 countries and spanning five continents. The result of this ambitious and extensive project is Primarium, a freely accessible resource designed to serve the typographic and educational communities.

The study aims to collect and organise crucial information about handwriting education in primary schools, including its role in school curricula, the handwriting models and resources used, and the teaching methods employed in classrooms. In an era where digital devices are increasingly prevalent, the issue of handwriting education has become a topic of debate in educational, pedagogical, and typographical circles. Primarium offers an unique and comprehensive perspective, enabling in-depth contextual analysis of the complex factors that influence how children learn to read and write, from the benefits of learning to write by hand, to the most effective current handwriting models and teaching methods.

The scope of the research was extensive, ranging from poring over legislative documents and investigating historical threads, examining curricula and syllabi, surveying teaching materials, and analyzing academic publications and marketing information from educational publishers. Additionally, interviews with teachers, parents, educationists, administrators, and designers helped contextualise the research findings with real-world experiences. The resources, publications, experts, and links compiled and freely shared on this website can serve as a base of reference for any serious future research on the topic.

Furthermore, the comprehensive data collected and presented in Primarium has been utilized to develop Playwrite, an innovative open-source variable typographic engine. This groundbreaking tool enables the creation of country-specific handwriting fonts by allowing the mixing and matching of structural letter variations and collecting them in a single font. Playwrite also offers customisation options with four design variation axes: stroke speed, extender size, weight, and slant.

Who has made Primarium?
Primarium is an initiative developed by the independent foundry TypeTogether, with the support of Google Fonts, the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) in Brazil, and numerous collaborators across the world. At its core, Primarium embodies the ideal of international and cross-cultural collaboration, a process that demands trust, generosity, curiosity, and respect. The project’s success is a testament to the contributions of individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds who worked together to bring their unique perspectives, experiences, and ideas to the table. This resulted in creative solutions, greater mutual understanding, and personal growth.