For 39C3: Power Cycles we approached the visual identity as a living typographic system, anchored in a custom version of our Kario variable typeface that could truly express the event’s theme of shifting states and energy flows. The Kario 39C3 font has two variable axes — weight (from Thin to Ultra) and width — and is designed uniwidth so every weight shares the same horizontal proportions. That meant we could animate transitions smoothly without layout jumps, whether on banners, posters, stickers or merch, and dial in everything from bold static headlines to subtle, responsive motion. From the start we experimented with playful features hidden in the font — little typographic Easter eggs and toggles that the community could discover and repurpose, including alternate letterforms and logo interplay that animate nicely in CSS or in motion graphics. These became a fun part of how people engaged with the identity, remixing weight and width settings in unexpected ways.

Working this way let us blur the line between static design and interactive expression, making typography itself part of the Power Cycles experience rather than just a label on it.