Sans Superellipse Penov 5 is a bold, narrow, low contrast, upright, tall x-height font visually similar to 'Mako' by Deltatype, 'Grillmaster' by FontMesa, 'ApronNext' by Hurufatfont, 'Etrusco Now' by Italiantype, 'Chandler Mountain' by Mega Type, and 'Tablet Gothic' by TypeTogether (names referenced only for comparison).
Keywords: posters, headlines, signage, packaging, logos, industrial, retro, sturdy, condensed, utilitarian, compact impact, signage clarity, industrial tone, geometric consistency, rounded corners, flat terminals, compact, blocky, slablike.
A compact, heavy sans with a condensed stance and squared, rounded-rectangle construction. Curves resolve into superellipse-like bowls and rounded corners, while many joins and terminals stay flat and abruptly cut, giving the outlines a machined, stamped feel. The rhythm is tight and vertical, with tall lowercase bodies and short extenders, plus simplified interior counters that keep shapes open at display sizes. Uppercase forms lean toward geometric block construction; lowercase follows a straightforward, workmanlike pattern with single-story a and g.
Best suited to headlines and short bursts of text where a dense, high-impact texture is desirable—posters, bold branding lines, labels, and environmental or wayfinding-style signage. It can also work for compact logo wordmarks and packaging typography where space is tight and strong presence is needed.
The overall tone is tough and no-nonsense, with a retro-industrial flavor reminiscent of signage, stenciled labeling, and mid-century utilitarian graphics. Its compact heft reads assertive and functional rather than friendly, projecting strength and directness.
The design appears intended to deliver maximum visual weight in a compact width while maintaining simple, reproducible shapes. Its rounded-rectangle geometry and flat-cut terminals suggest an aim toward practical, sign-ready letterforms with a distinctive industrial personality.
Round forms like O/Q and 0 are notably rectangularized, which reinforces the engineered character. The numerals share the same blunt, compact construction, and the punctuation shown in the specimen keeps the same dense, heavy color, supporting high-impact settings.