Sans Superellipse Pilat 13 is a very bold, very narrow, low contrast, upright, tall x-height font visually similar to 'Dharma Gothic' and 'Dharma Gothic Rounded' by Dharma Type, 'Akkordeon' by Emtype Foundry, 'Garmint' by Maulana Creative, 'PF Mellon' by Parachute, and 'PG Grotesque' by Paulo Goode (names referenced only for comparison).
Keywords: headlines, posters, branding, packaging, signage, industrial, condensed, authoritative, retro, space saving, impact, display clarity, bold messaging, blocky, compact, vertical, square-rounded, dense.
This typeface is built from compact, upright proportions with strongly compressed widths and a high, sturdy lowercase structure. Strokes are uniform and heavy, with minimal modulation, producing dense, dark word shapes. Curves resolve into rounded-rectangle forms rather than true circles, and joins and terminals read as blunt and squared-off, giving counters a tight, vertical feel. Overall spacing appears tight and efficient, emphasizing vertical rhythm and strong silhouette definition in both uppercase and lowercase.
Best suited to short, high-impact text where compact width and strong color are advantages, such as headlines, posters, and bold brand statements. It can work well on packaging and signage where space is limited but clarity and presence are needed. In longer passages, its dense texture suggests using generous leading and careful tracking.
The tone is assertive and utilitarian, with a straightforward, no-nonsense voice. Its compressed heft evokes industrial labeling and headline-driven editorial design, leaning slightly retro through its blocky, poster-like presence. The overall impression is confident and impactful rather than delicate or expressive.
The design appears intended to deliver maximum impact in minimal horizontal space, prioritizing strong silhouettes and a consistent, squared-rounded construction. Its emphasis on dense weight, tight counters, and a steady vertical rhythm suggests a display-first purpose aimed at attention-grabbing typography in constrained layouts.
Round letters like O/Q and bowls in b/p/d show squared curvature and compact counters, keeping forms uniform across the set. Diagonals in letters like V/W/X remain sturdy and not overly sharp, supporting the typeface’s solid, compressed texture. Numerals follow the same condensed, heavy construction for consistent color in mixed settings.