The Type Directors Club has announced that the TDC Medal is being presented to Dutch typographer Dr. Gerard Unger, who has created some of the world's most influential typefaces for over five decades. Unger is the thirtieth recipient in the fifty-year history of the TDC Medal, which was first awarded to Hermann Zapf in 1967 to honor his contributions to typography.
"Gerard has been very influential enough as a typeface designer, since his work has had an impact in so many contexts, but his legacy as a beloved teacher of additional generations of type designers may prove to have even further reach," commented TDC board member Dan Rhatigan of Adobe Typekit. "We unanimously decided to give him the TDC Medal to shine a light on his influence and accomplishments."
Unger's body of work includes typefaces designed specifically for magazines, books, and newspapers, including USA Today. He has designed typefaces for the Dutch highway sign systems and the Amsterdam transit system.
Unger will receive this honor on July 18 at The Cooper Union in The Rose Auditorium, in conjunction with the awards presentations for the Type Directors Club annual typography competition.