Tempo Doeloe

The typeface, ‘Tempo Doeloe,’ meaning ‘Old Times’ in English, draws inspiration from the lettering found on vintage signages in Indonesian buildings and public spaces, particularly those from the Dutch colonial era.

The ‘Balai Poestaka’ signage, with its Art Deco-inspired typography, exemplifies this cultural exchange. ‘Balai Poestaka,’ meaning ‘Bureau of Literature,’ was the state-owned publisher of Indonesia, responsible for significant works of Indonesian literature such as Salah Asuhan, Siti Nurbaya, and Layar Terkembang. Its headquarters were located in Batavia, now Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia.

The signage’s typography reflects the profound influence of Western culture on Indonesia, particularly the Art Deco style, evident in the letterforms’ contrast and basic forms. However, the typeface also exhibits subtle alterations, whether intentional or not, that align with Indonesian cultural aesthetics.

The design challenge was to create a typeface based on the Balai Poestaka signage, incorporating a modern touch while retaining the ‘old times’ character of Indonesia. To further enhance its traditional appeal, I integrated elements of the Javanese Script, or Aksara Jawa, the native script of Java Island. This script, derived from the Brahmi script of India, shares similarities with contemporary South and Southeast Asian scripts.

‘Tempo Doeloe’ is a synthesis of Western typography and the Javanese Script, designed to meet the contemporary needs of retro display text. Alongside the typeface design, various applications were developed, including posters, postcards, pattern designs, and packaging labels.

On Sunday, August 27, 2017, ‘Tempo Doeloe’ received an award in the Typography category at the Indonesian Graphic Design Award 2 (IGDA 2), a prestigious biennial event. The awards ceremony and exhibition of ‘Tempo Doeloe’ and other graphic design works took place at the Jakarta Convention Center, Jakarta, Indonesia.