33PT — REAL TYPE SHIT

A STUDENT-LED TYPOGRAPHY SYMPOSIUM AT FH DORTMUND

15 JULY 2026

33pt is a design festival developed by students at FH Dortmund. Each edition is created from scratch, forming its own position, visual language and system. By combining lectures, exhibitions and collective production, the format creates a meeting point between design education and professional practice.

The 2026 edition, REAL TYPE SHIT, was developed as part of a communication design course led by Cihan Tamti. Rather than treating visual identity as a logo or an isolated set of assets, the students conceived the festival as a complete public experience. They defined its communication goals, concept and visual principles and translated them into a title and logo, social media communication, printed matter, motion design, stage design and a wayfinding system. At the same time, they assumed responsibility for the organisation, communication, production and delivery of the event.

The process was expanded through workshops with motion designer Arda Kilic and stage designer Marie Träger, allowing the students to explore how a visual language can extend into time, space and physical environments. A lecture by Sebastian Dietel provided further insight into professional design practice.

The symposium brought together four invited speakers: Berlin-based artist, writer and type designer Charlotte Rohde; David Heasty, co-founder and creative director of Triboro in New York; Benji Wiedemann of Wiedemann Lampe in London; and Warsaw-based designer, curator and educator René Wawrzkiewicz. Their contributions introduced different artistic, cultural and studio-based perspectives on contemporary typography and visual communication.

The event was supported by Florida Brand Design from Dortmund as its main sponsor, while the merchandise was printed by Stice, based in Bochum. These collaborations connected the university project with professional partners and the local design community.

REAL TYPE SHIT was developed and realised as a collective student project, combining the conception of the visual identity with the organisation and production of the symposium. The project brought together typography, communication, spatial design and event production within a single course framework.