Reimagining a Classic: Digitizing David Lance Goines' Roman Alphabet

In 1982, David Lance Goines offered the world *A Constructed Roman Alphabet*, a work that explored typography through the lens of geometric precision, inspired by Albrecht Dürer. Driven by curiosity, I embarked on an exercise to translate Goines' manual processes into a digital algorithm to discover what new forms might emerge from this technological interpretation.

Goines adhered to a set of strict principles in his designs:

1. Letters must not be distorted to fit an arbitrary geometric standard.

2. They should be constructed using only a compass and straight edge, without manual tweaks.

3. Each diagram should include a precise formula capable of guiding the construction of any letter, independently of its visual representation.

His work is rooted in the Renaissance, an era that saw a boom in literacy and book production linked to the advent of movable type around 1450. Goines notes, "Geometry, revered for its logical perfection and significant historical regard, was central to the era’s Philosophical Unified Field Theory—an attempt to connect all domains of knowledge."

In transforming Goines' manual techniques into a digital format, I aimed to explore how altering parameters could reshape these classic forms. This exercise is not just a foray into digital design but a reflection on how past principles can evolve and resonate within modern innovations.

In sharing this, I am also reflecting on a broader theme: our constant interaction with designed elements, even in the simple letters we read every day. This fascination underscores how deeply design is woven into the fabric of our daily lives, influencing our perceptions and interactions without us even realizing it.

Stay tuned as I delve deeper into this synthesis of traditional craftsmanship and contemporary technology.