Breakwater Beacon:

“ISTD Assessment: typeface representing Breakwater Beacon lighthouse in Saudi Arabia”

Latin typeface

Arabic typeface

Breakwater Beacon marks the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia. KAUST commissioned Australia-based Urban Art Projects to design a contemporary lighthouse inaugurated in 2009. Led by Daniel Tobin, Matthew Tobin and Jamie Perrow, the team came up with a sixty-meter soaring Tower inspired from ancient Arabic maritime traditions and Islamic forms and a representation of futurist thought through its poignant expression of parametricism.

“Breakwater” is a typeface derived from the architectural form of the Breakwater Beacon. It embodies the actual structure of the lighthouse and narrates its story through a simple geometric shape. It is designed to follow this hexagonal grid pattern that connects every two letters to make a honeycomb figure exemplifying the lighthouse’s construction. Its build portrays Islamic traditions and cultures that signify it from other lighthouses.

The honeycomb pattern was created using precast concrete blocks to form a complex collection of unique amorphous hexagonal sections stepping up out of the Red Sea into an elliptical spire. At night, the Tower lits up from within and shines out through the honeycombs to act as a lighthouse for boats. The building follows a sustainable approach that works to naturally cool itself with the help of breezes and the stack effect, which draws hot air up and out while bringing cooler air in from the ocean.