Highlights from 5+1 hosted by Atto + Dinamo Typeface

On Thursday, November 6th, the third 5+1 event took place, hosted by Atto and Dinamo Typeface (Roberto Arista).

Another 5+1 session, new hosts, new perspectives. This time, we gathered at the studio run by Atto and shared with Roberto, who works remotely as Head of Font Engineering for Dinamo Typeface. From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed by a warm, homely atmosphere — slippers on, a hangboard for climbing, and walls filled with projects designed over the years.

That same spirit carried through the evening. Sara, Andrea, and Roberto led the session with openness, speaking freely about their practices, ideas, and experiences while engaging in thoughtful dialogue with the participants.

As always, many meaningful topics emerged. We discussed what it means to run a design studio today, and how Sara and Andrea’s perception of the industry has evolved since their early, pre-social media beginnings. From there, the conversation turned to how everything now appears “cool” online — even projects that, on closer inspection, might not be well designed — and how that affects the broader perception of design quality.

We also compared what it takes to start a studio or type foundry today, touching on the differences in workflow, structure, and cost.

A long and insightful discussion unfolded around the field of education — a space where Sara, Andrea, and Roberto have all taught or currently teach. Participants noted a common sense of a lack of theory in university programs, expressing a need to find deeper meaning and purpose in their projects and practice. This sentiment echoed a wider reflection on today’s society, which often seems to move too fast to allow time for critical thinking or reflection.

“Sometimes you just need to try to put yourself in the right place.”
Roberto Arista

As always we would like to thank our sponsor Readymag — who not only supported the event but also made it possible to build our dedicated 5+1 website through their platform — and our supporters ViewSonic, Paper&People, Presspoint Milano, Glyphs, and Birra Castello.

A special shout-out to Zetafonts for contributing amazing materials and goodies for our participants.