Saudi Now, a cultural exchange platform between Saudi Arabia and the UK, has unveiled a new visual identity. The project, led by London-based design studio Alphabetical, has been praised for its high-quality approach to the challenging task of creating a bilingual workmark. Emphasizing youthful energy, the new identity clearly articulates a visual language that bridges culture and language.
The new logo combines an English sans-serif typeface with custom-designed Arabic calligraphy. Arabic typeface designer Shaqa Bovine and F37 Type Foundry collaborated to create a legible font that feels natural to both languages. The design is notable for its harmonious coexistence of Latin and Arabic scripts.
Tommy Taylor, founder and creative director of Alphabetical, explained that readability was the biggest challenge. Initial testing was conducted with English and Arabic users of all ages, and the results achieved a high level of consensus on accessibility and readability. He noted that the scalability and formal flexibility of Arabic typefaces offered significant potential for this project.
The Saudi Now platform fosters collaboration and exchange between Saudi Arabia and the UK through content across various fields, including art, film, photography, dance, music, fashion, and education. Currently, it expands creative dialogue by highlighting the work of Saudi female artists such as Shadia Alem, Maha Malou, Zahra Al-Ghamdi, and Manal Al-Dowayan.
