Typographic landscapes – reading the letters in the cities

Abstract

This paper presents and discusses some applications of fundamental concepts from epigraphy to the study of
typography in urban landscape. Epigraphy is part of archaeology, more precisely of the field of palaeography.
It studies inscriptions, ancient writing on enduring materials (such as stone, metal, clay, wax.), including
deciphering, dating and interpretation of their messages. The paper proposes the application of epigraphic
procedures to the study of modern inscriptions, figuring the names of architects and constructors found on the
façades of buildings in São Paulo city historical centre. It demonstrates, therefore, how those concepts may be
applied to the development of more precise methods of data gathering, systematization and cataloguing, that
may be adopted in information design research.