Free Font Friday: Bondi

Bondi is a display font that was designed by Alejo Bergmann. If Art Deco had taken place in the 80s in Miami, it probably would have looked something like this. It’s unclear whether or not Bondi borrows its name from the famous beach in Australia, but the font definitely has a fun, laid-back vibe about it.

Its tall letterforms with high-contrast stroke weights say Art Deco, while its roundness says something else entirely. Depending on the letters used, it can take on several different characters. To me, in the title image, the word “Bondi” feels very modern. I can see the Art Deco influence, but overall, it leans more towards the present. In contrast, “Route to the Future” and “So Many Books, So Little Time” feel more reminiscent of some of the computer fonts that came out of the 70s. Data 70 in particular comes to mind.

It’s an interesting font. It feels like something you’ve seen before, but can’t quite place. I don’t recommend it for body text, though its creator seems to feel differently. The strokes of the type consist of only 2 different thicknesses, making it hard to read in close proximity and at smaller sizes. It would be great in smaller bursts, like hero images, headlines, or maybe even pull quotes.You can find Bondi here.