View source for Rotis

{{Lowercase title|italic=yes}}{{Short description|Typeface family}}
{{For|the flatbread|Roti}}
{{Infobox font
| name = Rotis
| image = Rotisng.svg
| style = Font superfamily; humanist sans-serif
| creationdate = 1988
| creator = [[Otl Aicher]]
| variations = Rotis serif<br/>Rotis semi-serif<br/>Rotis semi-sans<br/>rotis sans
| shown_here = Rotis semi-sans
| foundry = [[Agfa]]
}}

'''Rotis''' is a [[typeface]] developed in 1988 by [[Otl Aicher]], a [[Germany|German]] graphic designer and typographer. In Rotis, Aicher explores an attempt at maximum legibility through a highly unified yet varied typeface family that ranges from full serif, glyphic, and sans-serif. The four basic ''Rotis'' variants are:

* '''Rotis serif''' (antiqua) — with full [[serifs]]
* '''Rotis semi-serif''' (semi-antiqua) — with hinted serifs
* '''Rotis semi-sans''' (semi-grotesque) — with zero serifs but with stroke width variation
* '''Rotis sans''' (lineale humanist sans-serif) — with zero serifs and with minimal variation on stroke width

==Monotype Originals Rotis versions==
When the Rotis fonts were reissued under the Monotype Originals label, the fonts support include support of ISO Adobe 2 character set, OpenType features. The Rotis font names are capitalized.

===Rotis Serif===
It includes 55 Roman, 56 Italic, 65 Bold fonts.

===Rotis Semi Sans===
It includes 45 Light, 46 Light Italic, 55 Roman, 56 Italic, 65 Bold, 75 Extra Bold fonts.

===Rotis Pro===
It includes support of ISO Adobe 2, Adobe CE, Latin Extended characters. In addition, separate fonts for Greek and Cyrillic characters were also created. Greek and Cyrillic fonts support ISO Adobe 2 and Latin Extended characters, and support super/sub-script OpenType feature.

==Rotis II Sans (2011)==
[[File:Exemple-rotis serif.svg|thumb|Rotis serif]]
[[File:Exemple-rotis semi serif.svg|thumb|Rotis semi-serif]]
[[File:Exemple-rotis semi sans.svg|thumb|Rotis semi-sans]]
[[File:Exemple-rotis sans serif.svg|thumb|Rotis sans-serif]]
Rotis II Sans is a version of Rotis Sans designed by Monotype Imaging senior designer Robin Nicholas, and freelance designer Alice Savoie. It expands the original with three extra font weights (Light, Semi Bold, and Black) and italics, along with revised letter spacing and kerning, a new set of numerals with similar height to the capitals.<ref>[http://www.linotype.com/en/6620/rotisiisansexpandedandimproved.html Font News: Rotis II Sans, expanded and improved]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ir.monotypeimaging.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=595732 |title=Monotype Imaging Announces the Rotis II Sans Typeface Family |access-date=2012-08-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510030919/http://ir.monotypeimaging.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=595732 |archive-date=2012-05-10 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The family includes 14 fonts in seven weights, with complementary italics. OpenType features include access all alternates, case-sensitive forms, numerators/denominators, fractions, standard ligatures, localized forms (OpenType Pro fonts only), proportional/tabular figures, scientific inferiors, superscript/subscript, stylistic alternates, stylistic sets 1, 2 and 3 (OpenType Std fonts only). It supports ISO Adobe 2, Adobe CE, Latin Extended characters (OpenType Pro fonts only).

==Naming convention==
The typeface is named after Rotis, a hamlet belonging to the German town of [[Leutkirch im Allgäu]], where Otl Aicher lived. However, Aicher named the font "rotis", in [[lower case|minuscules]], since Aicher thought of [[capital letters]] as a sign of hierarchy and oppression.

When the fonts were reissued by Monotype Imaging in 2011, though, the font names were capitalized to "Rotis". This also affected fonts published by downstream foundries.

== Uses ==
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*[[Björk]] used this typeface for the artwork of her album ''[[Homogenic]]'' and all its corresponding singles.
* [[Grace (group)|Grace]] used it for their name on their album ''[[If I Could Fly (album)|If I Could Fly]]''.
*[[McAfee]] used the typeface until 2005.
* The [[rapid transit|metro]] of [[Bilbao]] ([[Metro Bilbao]]) uses this typeface in its logo and signage, which were also designed by Aicher himself.
* The city of [[Montreal]] uses Rotis Semi-Sans. However, it was modified slightly to spell out the word Montréal.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://ville.montreal.qc.ca/portal/page?_dad=portal&_pageid=5977,42249638&_schema=PORTAL |title = Connection}}</ref>
* [[University Centre at Blackburn College]] in [[Lancashire]] and the college campus it is affiliated with both use Rotis in logos and signage.
* The [[Leibniz University of Hannover]] uses Rotis Sans in official documents and signage.
* The [[Vrije Universiteit Brussel]] uses Rotis Sans as its corporate typeface.
* [[ABS-CBN Corporation]] uses Rotis Semi Serif as one of its corporate typefaces and the typeface for some of its subsidiaries beginning on January 1, 2000, including the [[ABS-CBN|television network of the same name]]. Since September 9, 2013, ABS-CBN uses a modified and custom version of the font for its logo known as Kapamilya Semi Sans.
* Hungarian [[TV2 (Hungarian TV channel)|TV2]] used Rotis in their identity until 2002.
* [[Accenture]] used Rotis in their [[wordmark]] and advertising until 2017.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/new_logo_and_identity_for_accenture.php |title = Greater than Before}}</ref>
* [[Assessment and Qualifications Alliance]] (AQA) also uses Rotis on their website and on their publications.
* The [[Anglican Church of Canada]] uses Rotis Semi-Serif for its wordmark.
* The Finland-based firm [[Nokia]] also used this font in their packaging, user manuals and advertising, although this has mostly been replaced with their own font, [[Nokia Sans]], for their phones' user interface and promotional materials.
* The Commonwealth Services Delivery Agency, [[Centrelink]] (the government provider of [[Social Security (Australia)|social security/welfare in Australia]]), used this typeface in their logo until 2012.
* [[Sound Transit]] uses Rotis Semi Serif for its [[light rail]], [[commuter rail|commuter train]] and [[Transit bus|bus]] station signs<ref>{{cite book |author=Two Twelve Harakawa Inc. |author2=Maestri Design Inc. |author3=Jon Bentz Design |date=September 2004 |title=System-Wide Signage Design Manual, Second Edition |chapter=Typography |chapter-url=http://www.soundtransit.org/Documents/pdf/projects/help/SignageDesignManual.pdf |page=DS-17 |publisher=[[Sound Transit]] |access-date=October 18, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613101144/http://soundtransit.org/Documents/pdf/projects/help/SignageDesignManual.pdf |archive-date=June 13, 2010 }}</ref>
* [[Auckland City Council]] used Rotis for traffic signage.
* [[PNC Financial Services]], the sixth-largest bank in the United States, uses Rotis Semi Serif for its corporate logo and Rotis Sans Serif for their PNC Grow Up Great initiative, complemented by [[FF DIN]] for headlines and body copy. 
* Singapore's street name signage uses Rotis Semi Sans.
* It is one of the primary components of [[FRISK Software International|FRISK Software's]] [[corporate identity]].
* Also based in Auckland, New Zealand's largest architecture firm [[Jasmax]] uses Rotis in all of its documents.
* The Rotis family is also used in book publishing, one example being [[Naomi Klein]]'s ''[[No Logo]]'' which uses the semi-serif face. [[Open Source Press]] uses Rotis Sans Serif for all their books' body text, and Semi Serif for the headers.
* [[University of California, San Diego|The University of California, San Diego]] use the semi-serif face as its primary display type.
* ERCO, the German based lighting fixture manufacturer, uses semi-sans for their logo and literature.
* The company zebris Medical GmbH uses the font in their Logo and CI.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.zebris.de |title = Zebris Medical GMBH - Home}}</ref>
* The Rotis font family is used by the kitchen company [[bulthaup]].<ref>[http://www.bulthaup.com/ www.bulthaup.com]</ref>
* The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry uses the Rotis family of fonts as one set of their official typefaces.<ref>[http://www.esf.edu/communications/logo/ESF_Visual_Identity_Standards.pdf http://www.esf.edu/communications/logo/ESF_Visual_Identity_Standards.pdf]</ref>
* The inscriptions on the gravestone of Manchester impresario [[Anthony H. Wilson]], designed by [[Peter Saville (graphic designer)|Peter Saville]] and Ben Kelly, are in Rotis Serif.<ref>[http://creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2010/october/peter-saville-anthony-wilson-headstone http://creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2010/october/peter-saville-anthony-wilson-headstone] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314081655/http://creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2010/october/peter-saville-anthony-wilson-headstone |date=2012-03-14 }}</ref>
* [[Scandinavian Airlines]] uses Rotis as their logotype written in silver letters along the sides of their aircraft.
*The serif face is the primary brand font for Teavana (TEA), a North American loose leave tea retailer
*The font is also used in the game ''Bubble Witch Saga''.
*The font is also used on the website and in the branding of the [[Norman Foster Foundation]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://normanfosterfoundation.org/ |access-date=2023-07-27 |website=Norman Foster Foundation |language=en-US}}</ref>
*Rock band [[Ween]] used the font in their 2003 album [[Quebec (album)|Quebec]]

Not all review of Rotis have been favourable. Prominent typeface designer [[Erik Spiekermann]] commented that "Rotis is not a typeface. It has some great letters, but they never come together to make words that don't look contrived or uncomfortable. It looks best on gravestones and similar large architectural applications."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Spiekermann & Hoefler; Bierut|title=I Hate ITC Garamond (comments on article)|url=http://designobserver.com/article.php?id=2577|website=Design Observer|access-date=6 November 2014}}</ref> He has also joked that he wants the design on his gravestone.<ref name=Spiekermann>{{cite web|last1=Spiekermann|first1=Erik|title=Rotis now has a Black weight, so my gravestone will have more punch|url=https://twitter.com/espiekermann/status/98421872244436993|website=Twitter|access-date=23 November 2015}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
*Blackwell, Lewis. ''20th Century Type.'' Yale University Press: 2004. {{ISBN|0-300-10073-6}}.
*Fiedl, Frederich, Nicholas Ott and Bernard Stein. ''Typography: An Encyclopedic Survey of Type Design and Techniques Through History.'' Black Dog & Leventhal: 1998. {{ISBN|1-57912-023-7}}.
*Macmillan, Neil. ''An A–Z of Type Designers.'' Yale University Press: 2006. {{ISBN|0-300-11151-7}}.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Rotis (font)|Rotis}}
*[http://www.linotype.com/en/1827/rotis.html Rotis Font Family & Packages]
*[http://www.linotype.com/en/881991/RotisIISans-family.html Rotis II Sans family]
*[http://spiekermann.com/en/rotis/ Is Rotis a typeface?] - Robin Kinross and Erik Spiekermann on rotis
*[http://spiekermann.com/en/rotis-am-ende/ Rotis am Ende?]

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Unified serif and sans-serif typeface families]]
[[Category:Humanist sans-serif typefaces]]
[[Category:Typefaces and fonts introduced in 1988]]