Translation gaps exist for multilingual speakers. Visuals often communicate more efficiently, conveying meaning without relying on a specific language. Can visual elements make translation clearer across languages? If language’s main task is communication, abstract shapes rooted in the original concept can convey meaning more directly.

My thesis explores the question through a series of bilingual typefaces. Each draws from objects I remember from my hometown, Hangzhou, transforming them into typefaces that are both readable and expressive. By combining these letterforms with explanations, I intend to bridge translation gaps and give people from different backgrounds a shared sense of the cultural artifacts that shaped my childhood.