On 11 April 1996, welding work at Düsseldorf Airport caused a devastating fire. 17 people lost their lives, and Terminals A and B were destroyed. It was decided that flights would be scheduled to resume in time for the summer holidays.


Poster for the Düsseldorf signage, designed by Brigitte Hartwig at MetaDesign in 1996, © Erik Spiekermann

Within six weeks, MetaDesign had designed a system of signage to guide passengers safely through the tents and temporary halls. The typeface chosen for this purpose was based on a 1988 design created by Erik Spiekermann for the Italian pharmaceutical company Fidia. The new FF Info was easy to read and economical, and its rounded corners were an advantage when it came to plotting the type quickly.

Months after airport business had returned to normal, FF Info was expanded with Ole Schäfer’s help to include a body text version for printed materials.