El estudio barcelonés Domestic Data Streamers lanza un proyecto que usa inteligencia artificial generativa para reconstruir recuerdos perdidos o nunca registrados. “No son fotografías del pasado, son espejos poéticos del recuerdo”, explican. Con la c

Microsoft offered up a fairly light Patch Tuesday release this month, with 68 patches to Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office. There were no updates for Exchange or SQL server and just two minor patches for Microsoft Edge. That said, two zero-day vulnerabilities (CVE-2025-33073 and CVE-2025-33053) have led to a “Patch Now” recommendation for both Windows and Office. (Developers can follow their usual release cadence with updates to Microsoft .NET and Visual Studio.) To help navigate these changes, the team from Readiness has provided auseful  infographic detailing the risks involved when deploying the latest updates. (More information about recent Patch Tuesday releases is available here.) Known issues Microsoft released a limited number of known issues for June, with a product-focused issue and a very minor display concern: Microsoft Excel: This a rare product level entry in the “known issues” category — an advisory that “square brackets” or [] are not supported in Excel filenames. An error is generated, advising the user to remove the offending characters. Windows 10: There are reports of blurry or unclear CJK (Chinese, Japanese, Korean) text when displayed at 96 DPI (100% scaling) in Chromium-based browsers such as Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome. This is a limited resource issue, as the font resolution in Windows 10 does not fully match the high-level resolution of the Noto font. Microsoft recommends changing the display scaling to 125% or 150% to improve clarity. Major revisions and mitigations Microsoft might have won an award for the shortest time between releasing an update and a revision with: CVE-2025-33073: Windows SMB Client Elevation of Privilege. Microsoft worked to address a vulnerability where improper access control in Windows SMB allows an attacker to elevate privileges over a network. This patch was revised on the same day as its initial release (and has been revised again for documentation purposes). Windows lifecycle and enforcement updates Microsoft did not release any enforcement updates for June. Each month, the Readiness team analyzes Microsoft’s latest updates and provides technically sound, actionable testing plans. While June’s release includes no stated functional changes, many foundational components across authentication, storage, networking, and user experience have been updated. For this testing guide, we grouped Microsoft’s updates by Windows feature and then accompanied the section with prescriptive test actions and rationale to help prioritize enterprise efforts. Core OS and UI compatibility Microsoft updated several core kernel drivers affecting Windows as a whole. This is a low-level system change and carries a high risk of compatibility and system issues. In addition, core Microsoft print libraries have been included in the update, requiring additional print testing in addition to the following recommendations: Run print operations from 32-bit applications on 64-bit Windows environments. Use different print drivers and configurations (e.g., local, networked). Observe printing from older productivity apps and virtual environments. Remote desktop and network connectivity This update could impact the reliability of remote access while broken DHCP-to-DNS integration can block device onboarding, and NAT misbehavior disrupts VPNs or site-to-site routing configurations. We recommend the following tests be performed: Create and reconnect Remote Desktop (RDP) sessions under varying network conditions. Confirm that DHCP-assigned IP addresses are correctly registered with DNS in AD-integrated environments. Test modifying NAT and routing settings in RRAS configurations and ensure that changes persist across reboots. Filesystem, SMB and storage Updates to the core Windows storage libraries affect nearly every command related to Microsoft Storage Spaces. A minor misalignment here can result in degraded clusters, orphaned volumes, or data loss in a failover scenario. These are high-priority components in modern data center and hybrid cloud infrastructure, with the following storage-related testing recommendations: Access file shares using server names, FQDNs, and IP addresses. Enable and validate encrypted and compressed file-share operations between clients and servers. Run tests that create, open, and read from system log files using various file and storage configurations. Validate core cluster storage management tasks, including creating and managing storage pools, tiers, and volumes. Test disk addition/removal, failover behaviors, and resiliency settings. Run system-level storage diagnostics across active and passive nodes in the cluster. Windows installer and recovery Microsoft delivered another update to the Windows Installer (MSI) application infrastructure. Broken or regressed Installer package MSI handling disrupts app deployment pipelines while putting core business applications at risk. We suggest the following tests for the latest changes to MSI Installer, Windows Recovery and Microsoft’s Virtualization Based Security (VBS): Perform installation, repair, and uninstallation of MSI Installer packages using standard enterprise deployment tools (e.g. Intune). Validate restore point behavior for points older than 60 days under varying virtualization-based security (VBS) settings. Check both client and server behaviors for allowed or blocked restores. We highly recommend prioritizing printer testing this month, then remote desktop deployment testing to ensure your core business applications install and uninstall as expected. Each month, we break down the update cycle into product families (as defined by Microsoft) with the following basic groupings:  Browsers (Microsoft IE and Edge); Microsoft Windows (both desktop and server); Microsoft Office; Microsoft Exchange and SQL Server;  Microsoft Developer Tools (Visual Studio and .NET); And Adobe (if you get this far). Browsers Microsoft delivered a very minor series of updates to Microsoft Edge. The  browser receives two Chrome patches (CVE-2025-5068 and CVE-2025-5419) where both updates are rated important. These low-profile changes can be added to your standard release calendar. Microsoft Windows Microsoft released five critical patches and (a smaller than usual) 40 patches rated important. This month the five critical Windows patches cover the following desktop and server vulnerabilities: Missing release of memory after effective lifetime in Windows Cryptographic Services (WCS) allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network. Use after free in Windows Remote Desktop Services allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network. Use after free in Windows KDC Proxy Service (KPSSVC) allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network. Use of uninitialized resources in Windows Netlogon allows an unauthorized attacker to elevate privileges over a network. Unfortunately, CVE-2025-33073 has been reported as publicly disclosed while CVE-2025-33053 has been reported as exploited. Given these two zero-days, the Readiness recommends a “Patch Now” release schedule for your Windows updates. Microsoft Office Microsoft released five critical updates and a further 13 rated important for Office. The critical patches deal with memory related and “use after free” memory allocation issues affecting the entire platform. Due to the number and severity of these issues, we recommend a “Patch Now” schedule for Office for this Patch Tuesday release. Microsoft Exchange and SQL Server There are no updates for either Microsoft Exchange or SQL Server this month.  Developer tools There were only three low-level updates (product focused and rated important) released, affecting .NET and Visual Studio. Add these updates to your standard developer release schedule. Adobe (and 3rd party updates) Adobe has released (but Microsoft has not co-published) a single update to Adobe Acrobat (APSB25-57). There were two other non-Microsoft updated releases affecting the Chromium platform, which were covered in the Browser section above.

These annual rankings were last updated on June 6, 2025. Want to see your firm on next year’s list? Continue reading for more on how you can improve your studio’s ranking. Traversing the German nation, one will encounter a similar historic program to other European capitals — Romanesque churches, Renaissance monuments and more — blended with functionalist and modernist structures. Early twenty-first-century Germany gave rise to the thriving Bauhaus. Founded by Walter Gropius, this school introduced brand-new architectural thinking, an ideology rooted in function, clarity and mass production. Materials like concrete and glass were favored, socially progressive housing blocks were constructed, and a newfound appreciation for modernism emerged. The spirit of the great Bauhaus teachers — Mies van der Rohe, for example — vigorously lives on and inspires contemporary designers today. Additionally, modern industrial architecture took off post-war and has played a prominent role in the nation’s economic growth, continuing to do so today. The architectural devastation from WWII resulted in mass reconstruction efforts. The post-war restoration and rebuilding embraced a functional attitude, which continued the legacy of the Bauhaus movement despite its closing over a decade prior. Today, German architecture continues to champion the nation’s modernist brilliance through innovative designs that push technological boundaries and celebrate culture. With so many architecture firms to choose from, it’s challenging for clients to identify the industry leaders that will be an ideal fit for their project needs. Fortunately, Architizer is able to provide guidance on the top design firms in Germany based on more than a decade of data and industry knowledge. How are these architecture firms ranked? The following ranking has been created according to key statistics that demonstrate each firm’s level of architectural excellence. The following metrics have been accumulated to establish each architecture firm’s ranking, in order of priority: The number of A+Awards won (2013 to 2025) The number of A+Awards finalists (2013 to 2025) The number of projects selected as “Project of the Day” (2009 to 2025) The number of projects selected as “Featured Project” (2009 to 2025) The number of projects uploaded to Architizer (2009 to 2025) Each of these metrics is explained in more detail at the foot of this article. This ranking list will be updated annually, taking into account new achievements of Germany architecture firms throughout the year. Without further ado, here are the 30 best architecture firms in Germany: 30. Format Elf Architekten © Format Elf Architekten Simple and touching. Format Elf Architekten is an architecture firm that focuses on residential architecture. Some of Format Elf Architekten’s most prominent projects include: Longhouses, Bad Birnbach, Germany FORMSTELLE, Töging am Inn, Germany House B, Munich, Germany Die Basis, Munich, Germany The following statistics helped Format Elf Architekten achieve 30th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: Featured Projects 1 Total Projects 4 29. Bruzkus Batek Architects © Jens Bösenberg | Whitelight Studio GmbH BRUZKUS BATEK Since 2007, this internationally active office specialised in designing hotels, offices, shops, restaurants and private housing – and particularly in the detailing of high-quality interiors. After 10 successful years, it is time for a change. As of 2018, Bruzkus Batek is splitting into BATEK ARCHITECTS and ESTER BRUZKUS ARCHITECTS. Some of Bruzkus Batek Architects’ most prominent projects include: Razorfish, Berlin, Germany Office Ester Bruzkus Architekten, Berlin, Germany Colette Tim Raue Munich, Munich, Germany Apartment PP, Berlin, Germany Dean, Berlin, Germany The following statistics helped Bruzkus Batek Architects achieve 29th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: A+Awards Finalist 1 Featured Projects 3 Total Projects 28 28. Ester Bruzkus Architekten © Ester Bruzkus Architekten Founded in 2002 in Berlin, Ester Bruzkus Architekten is an architecture and interior design practice with global ties: Berlin, New York, Paris, Tel Aviv, Boston, Dubai, Moscow, Vladivostok, Tenerife. We have extensive experience with design at many scales: from the design of tables and furniture to exquisite residences and workspaces to international theaters, restaurants and hotels. Straight lines, precise planning, material contrasts – and plenty of surprises. The architecture of Ester Bruzkus and her team makes use of contrasts of thick and thin, sharp and soft, curved and straight, rough and smooth, common and opulent, colorful and restrained, playful and well-resolved. Special projects result from a dialogue of space and light, materiality and color, existing constraints and new opportunities – and especially a synergy between the needs of the client, the space and the aspirations of great design. Some of Ester Bruzkus Architekten’s most prominent projects include: Razorfish, Berlin, Germany Office Ester Bruzkus Architekten, Berlin, Germany Colette Tim Raue Munich, Munich, Germany Apartment PP, Berlin, Germany Dean, Berlin, Germany The following statistics helped Ester Bruzkus Architekten achieve 28th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: A+Awards Finalist 1 Featured Projects 3 Total Projects 34 27. Architekten Wannenmacher + Möller © Architekten Wannenmacher + Möller GmbH Architects Wannenmacher + Möller, based in Bielefeld Germany, has been in practice for almost 60 years. Today the office is run by second generation Andreas Wannenmacher and Hans-Heinrich Möller. It was founded by Gregor Wannenmacher in Düsseldorf, Germany in 1955. Over the years the office grew continuously and became one of the largest architectural firms in the German region Eastern Westfalia. Most of the activities were focused in this region. During the last years, however, the office had the opportunity to design buildings and control their realization outside this region, some of them in foreign countries throughout Europe, Asia, and the USA. Some of Architekten Wannenmacher + Möller’s most prominent projects include: Ford Hagemeier Halle , Germany Wohnhaus Möllmann, Bielefeld, Germany House P+G, Weinheim, Germany House in Paderborn, Paderborn, Germany Borchen Sports Hall, Borchen, Germany The following statistics helped Architekten Wannenmacher + Möller achieve 27th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: A+Awards Finalist 1 Featured Projects 4 Total Projects 14 26. Design.Develop.Build – GA Tech | PBSA | RWTH © Design.Develop.Build - GA Tech | PBSA | RWTH Students from the Georgia Institute of Technology, RWTH Aachen University and PBSA Düsseldorf design, develop and build civic architecture. Some of Design.Develop.Build’s most prominent projects include: Guga S’Thebe Children’s Theatre, Cape Town, South Africa The following statistics helped Design.Develop.Build achieve 26th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: A+Awards Winner 2 A+Awards Finalist 1 Featured Projects 1 Total Projects 1 25. Ecker Architekten © Ecker Architekten Ecker Architekten is an architecture and design firm based in Germany. Ecker Architekten’s design portfolio includes a variety of architectural projects, such as cultural, commercial, government and health, educational, and more. Some of Ecker Architekten’s most prominent projects include: The Forum at Eckenberg Gymnasium, Adelsheim, Germany Field Chapel, Buchen (Odenwald), Germany Kindergarten Dandelion Clock, Germany Kanzlei Balkenhol, BW, Germany Branch Bank in Hettingen, Hettingen, Germany The following statistics helped Ecker Architekten achieve 25th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: Featured Projects 4 Total Projects 8 24. Sehw Architektur © Helin Bereket “Sehw stands for meaningfulness, emotion, attitude and change.” Our mission: building architecture sustainably, thinking innovatively and creating social added value. “Sehw stands for an aesthetic of sustainability in architecture.” // Sustainability // Acting sustainably We are not just planning for today but for the generation of tomorrow and beyond. For us, sustainable architecture means forward-looking planning and the development of future-proof utilization concepts. In times of rapid climate change, we are committed to resource-conserving construction methods and the use of renewable energies. Recyclable building materials and circular economy are the basis for a long life cycle and corresponding sustainability certifications of our buildings. We value and protect existing structures and materials. Some of Sehw Architektur’s most prominent projects include: KIT, Karlsruhe, Germany Weitblick Innovation Campus, Augsburg, Germany Inclusive School Centre Döbern, Döbern, Germany The Copper Coil, Rostock, Germany Around the Corner – Student Apartment Building, Berlin, Germany The following statistics helped Sehw Architektur achieve 24th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: Featured Projects 5 Total Projects 18 23. PHILIPPARCHITEKTEN Anna Philipp © PHILIPPARCHITEKTEN Anna Philipp A passion for houses. There’s nothing more significant to describe what our architecture office is about: houses — simple, yet complex. The archetype of all construction is our passion. That’s what we stand for. On this we work holistically with a team of architects and engineers. Center of our designing is the human being. We understand architecture as a second skin, which must be tailored. At the same time it’s essential to reflect the unique character of the location. The goal is a harmonious triad of mankind, nature and architecture. The focus and specialization on houses and villas is faced by a wide diversification in the range of services offered. Some of PHILIPPARCHITEKTEN Anna Philipp’s most prominent projects include: Villa Philipp, Waldenburg, Germany Villa Lombardo, Lugano, Switzerland A monastery of modernity, Augsburg, Germany Villa Schatzlmayr, Passau, Germany Villa Mauthe, Bahlingen, Germany The following statistics helped PHILIPPARCHITEKTEN Anna Philipp achieve 23rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: Featured Projects 5 Total Projects 22 22. KRESINGS © Roman Mensing KRESINGS is a studio for architecture, interior design, urban planning and product design with offices in Munster and Dusseldorf. Since its founding by Rainer Maria Kresing in 1985 four further partners joined the management: Kilian Kresing, Christian Kawe, Matthias Povel and André Perret. More than 60 employees — architects, designers, planners and engineers — guarantee a broad range of creative and qualified services. Experience meets creative ease. The studio has been awarded with national awards like those of the BDA (Bund Deutscher Architekten) and the DAM (Deutsches Architektur Museum). KRESINGS: Experts and team players in areas of office and industrial buildings, facilities for research, education and culture as well as individual designs for residential buildings. Some of KRESINGS’ most prominent projects include: Student Residence Boeselagerstraße, Münster, Germany Headquarters Mitsubishi Electric Europe, Ratingen, Germany Petting Zoo, Öhringen, Germany Freiherr-vom-Stein-High-School, Münster, Germany Residential Building Hoher Heckenweg, Münster, Germany The following statistics helped KRESINGS achieve 22nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: Featured Projects 5 Total Projects 33 21. 3deluxe © 3deluxe The interdisciplinary design collective 3deluxe, consisting of about 30 individuals centered around Dieter Brell, Peter Seipp and Andreas and Stephan Lauhoff, has been creating groundbreaking impulses in the fields of architecture and interior design, graphic and media design. In creative synergy hybrid forms of two and three dimensional design are created: graphic works develop a spatial impact, while architectural drafts are based on communication principles. In this way, complex collages are contrived, so called ‚multilayered atmospheres‘, that foster multiple sensory experiences and allow for a multitude of potential interpretations. Paramount is the broadening of an absolute understanding of space and image towards a dynamic, processual approach. Some of 3deluxe’s most prominent projects include: V- Plaza Urban Development, Kaunas, Lithuania Kaffee Partner Headquarters, Osnabrück, Germany Butterfly Pavilion, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates Leonardo Glass Cube, Bad Driburg, Germany Cyberhelvetia The following statistics helped 3deluxe achieve 21st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: A+Awards Finalist 2 Featured Projects 3 Total Projects 20 20. Christoph Hesse Architects © Deimel und Wittmar Christoph Hesse Architects was founded in 2010 by Christoph Hesse, has offices in Korbach and, since 2018, in Berlin. The architectural practice currently employs an international team of 15 people and has won numerous awards. Some of Christoph Hesse Architects’ most prominent projects include: VITOS Outpatient psychiatric clinic for traumatized refugees, Korbach, Germany Villa F / the off-the-grid house in the central highlands of Germany, Medebach, Germany StrohTherme, Medebach, Germany Room of Silence, Korbach, Germany The following statistics helped Christoph Hesse Architects achieve 20th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: A+Awards Winner 2 Featured Projects 2 Total Projects 4 19. Zeller & Moye © Zeller & Moye Zeller & Moye is a design studio based in Mexico City and Berlin that works at the intersection of architecture, arts, design and latest technology through an experimental, multidisciplinary and collaborative working culture. Some of Zeller & Moye’s most prominent projects include: HAUS KÖRIS, Brandenburg, Germany SANDRA WEIL Store, Mexico City, Mexico TROQUER FASHION HOUSE, Mexico City, Mexico CASA VERNE, Mexico City, Mexico CASA HILO, Mexico The following statistics helped Zeller & Moye achieve 19th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: Featured Projects 5 Total Projects 12 18. Ippolito Fleitz Group – Identity Architects © Ippolito Fleitz Group - Identity Architects Ippolito fleitz group is a multidisciplinary, internationally operating design studio based in Stuttgart.We are identity architects. We work in unison with our clients to develop architecture, products and communication that are part of a whole and yet distinctive in their own right. This is how we define identity.With meticulous analysis before we begin.With animated examination in the conceptional phase. With a clarity of argument in the act of persuasion.With a love of accuracy in the realisation.With a serious goal and a lot of fun along the way. Working together with our clients.As architects of identity, we conceive and construct buildings, interiors and landscapes; we develop products and communication measures. Some of Ippolito Fleitz Group – Identity Architects’ most prominent projects include: Das GERBER, Stuttgart, Germany Hunke – Jewellers and Opticians, Ludwigsburg, Germany Bella Italia Weine, Stuttgart, Germany ippolito fleitz group | Residential Building, Denkendorf, Germany WakuWaku Dammtor, Hamburg, Germany The following statistics helped Ippolito Fleitz Group - Identity Architects achieve 18th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: A+Awards Finalist 1 Featured Projects 4 Total Projects 26 17. VON M © Zooey Braun VON M is an architecture and design firm based in Germany. VON M’s design portfolio includes a variety of architectural projects, such as cultural, residential, educational, commercial, hospitality and sport, and more. Some of VON M’s most prominent projects include: Museum Luthers Sterbehaus, Eisleben, Germany BHM Pavillon, Wolfegg, Germany Kinder- und Familienzentrum, Ludwigsburg, Germany Hotel Bauhofstrasse, Ludwigsburg, Germany HS77, Stuttgart, Germany The following statistics helped VON M achieve 17th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: Featured Projects 6 Total Projects 11 16. Plastique Fantastique © Plastique Fantastique Plastique Fantastique is a collective for temporary architecture that samples the performative possibilities of urban environments. Established in Berlin in 1999, Plastique Fantastique has been influenced by the unique circumstances that made the city a laboratory for temporary spaces. Plastique Fantastique’s synthetic structures affect surrounding spaces like a soap bubble does: Similar to a foreign body, it occupies and mutates urban space. Their interventions change the way we perceive and interact in urban environments. By mixing different landscape types, an osmotic passage between private and public space is generating new hybrid environments.Regardless the way people view a bubble, walk around its exterior or move inside it, the pneumatic structure is a medium to experience the same physical setting in a temporary extraordinary situation. Some of Plastique Fantastique’s most prominent projects include: LOUD SHADOWS, Terschelling, Netherlands Blurry Venice, Venice, Italy Aeropolis, Copenhagen, Denmark superKOLMEMEN, Helsinki, Finland MOBILE PPS (Personal Protective Space) for Doctors The following statistics helped Plastique Fantastique achieve 16th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: Featured Projects 5 Total Projects 5 15. 4a Architekten © 4a Architekten GmbH Shaping atmosphere, lending identity, creating quality of space — these are the values that characterize the buildings of 4a Architekten. The starting point and guiding principle of our work is the concept of architecture as living space. Our buildings come into being through intensive team work shaped by interdisciplinary thinking and action. What characterizes a location in terms of its culture and history? What are the client’s expectations and objectives? What is viable within the budget and what are the benefits for users? These questions and this approach bring us to solutions with an individual character — and they apply just as much to the planning of buildings as to the design of interior spaces. Some of 4a Architekten’s most prominent projects include: Therme Lindau on Lake Constance, Lindau, Germany Balingen Civic Hall, Balingen, Germany Emser Thermal Baths, Bad Ems, Germany Spreewald Spa Hotel, Burg, Germany Stegermatt Aquatic Centre, Offenburg, Germany The following statistics helped 4a Architekten achieve 15th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: Featured Projects 7 Total Projects 15 14. schneider+schumacher © schneider+schumacher / Frankfurt - Vienna - Tianjin Our architectural approach is characterized by the enjoyment we have in finding solutions to the complex demands of today’s buildings. We adapt our buildings to fit into their surroundings, yet we also create landmarks. Pragmatic poetry, nurtured not only by design clarity and a conscientious attitude towards the task in hand, but also by a delight in fine details. This design process is constantly informed by the dialogue that takes place on a daily basis between the various professional disciplines in all our specialized divisions – architecture, construction and project management, design, a.o. — and international offices. schneider+schumacher is headquartered in Frankfurt (GE), and has two branches in Vienna (AU) and Tianjin (CN). Some of schneider+schumacher’s most prominent projects include: Autobahn Church, Wilnsdorf, Germany Oil Harbour Bridge, Raunheim, Germany DOXX – Quayside Development at Mainz Customs Port, Mainz, Germany Städel Museum Extension, Frankfurt, Germany Siegerland Motorway Church, Wilnsdorf, Wilnsdorf, Germany The following statistics helped schneider+schumacher achieve 14th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: A+Awards Winner 1 A+Awards Finalist 2 Featured Projects 5 Total Projects 12 13. ingenhoven associates © ingenhoven associates Celebrating 40 years of excellence since 1985, the studio is pioneer in sustainable architecture, designing and delivering projects of all sizes and typologies across nearly every region of the world, adhering to the highest green building standards, including LEED, Green Star, Minergie, BREEAM, DGNB and CASBEE. With a tailored approach to each location, the multinational, interdisciplinary team creates nuanced architectural solutions with added value and positive social impact. Some of ingenhoven associates’ most prominent projects include: Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus, Düsseldorf, Germany Freiburg Town Hall, Freiburg, Germany Kö-Bogen 2, Düsseldorf, Germany Marina One, Singapore, Singapore Daniel Swarovski Corporation, Männedorf, Switzerland The following statistics helped ingenhoven associates achieve 13th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: A+Awards Finalist 2 Featured Projects 5 Total Projects 28 12. gmp · Architects von Gerkan, Marg und Partner © HG Esch Photography The architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp) are an architectural practice that was founded in Hamburg and has branches worldwide. With our generalist approach and more than 50 years of experience, we complete projects in dialogue with our clients and the participating planning disciplines, at all scales and cultural contexts, covering all design phases and working on all continents. The range of our projects extends from family residences to high-rise buildings, from stadiums to concert halls, from office buildings to bridges, and from door hardware to urban planning. With holistic sustainability in mind, we aim to create new and refurbished architecture that is long-lasting and goes beyond temporary fashions, taking into account the global challenges and issues of urbanization, digitalization, and mobility. Some of gmp · Architects von Gerkan, Marg und Partner’s most prominent projects include: Guna Villa, Jūrmala, Latvia Universiade 2011 Sports Center, Shenzhen, China Olympic Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine Olympic Stadium, Berlin, Germany Twin Towers, Commodity Exchange Plaza, Dalian, China The following statistics helped gmp · Architects von Gerkan, Marg und Partner achieve 12th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: Featured Projects 8 Total Projects 36 11. kadawittfeldarchitektur © kadawittfeldarchitektur We are kadawittfeldarchitektur. Originally founded in Aachen in 1999, we today stand for more than just architectural design. The interdisciplinary approach of our work, linking architecture, interior and product design on the one hand and at the interface of town planning and urban projects on the other hand, reflects the full range of our creative output. kadawittfeldarchitektur develops added value space. In a team of more than 170 persons, we create architecture with added value space for living, communication and work environments. In the way we deal with volumes, materials, structures and functions, we strive to integrate our schemes into their surroundings with the objective of creating contemporary and sustainable architecture and meeting the needs of both the users and the general public. Some of kadawittfeldarchitektur’s most prominent projects include: CELTIC MUSEUM, Glauburg, Germany ADIDAS LACES, Herzogenaurach, Germany SPZ, HALLEIN, Hallein, Austria SENIOR CITIZENS RESIDENCE ALTENMARKT, Altenmarkt im Pongau, Austria SALZBURG CENTRAL STATION, Salzburg, Austria The following statistics helped kadawittfeldarchitektur achieve 11th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: Featured Projects 8 Total Projects 32 10. GRAFT © GRAFT What is graft? The English word ‘graft’ provokes a variety of meanings and multiple readings. It stands for transplants in the field of medicine, for cheating, but also for hard work.  In the terminology of botany, grafting is described as the addition of one shoot onto a genetically different host. Some of GRAFT’s most prominent projects include: Ice Stadion “Arena Schierke”, Wernigerode, Germany Show Palace Munich, Munich, Germany Autostadt Roof and Service Pavilion, Wolfsburg, Germany Eiswerk, Berlin, Germany Villa M , Berlin, Germany The following statistics helped GRAFT achieve 10th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: A+Awards Finalist 2 Featured Projects 7 Total Projects 17 9. HENN © HENN HENN is an international architecture studio with over 75 years of experience in designing innovative work environments across office, science, healthcare, industry, education, and culture. An interdisciplinary team of 400 professionals works from offices in Munich, Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, and Shanghai. The design process is collaborative and driven by curiosity. HENN draws from the rich expertise of three generations and a global network of partners. All three generations share a common mindset: openness and curiosity. This spirit drives the studio to continuously question and redefine architectural typologies. HENN was founded in 1947 by Walter Henn in Dresden. Early on, he specialized in industrial buildings and played a key role in establishing the Braunschweig School through his academic work. Some of HENN’s most prominent projects include: Porsche Pavilion, Wolfsburg, Germany Zalando Headquarters Berlin, Berlin, Germany Bugatti Atelier, Molsheim, France MobileLife Campus, Wolfsburg, Germany The CUBE, Dresden, Germany The following statistics helped HENN achieve 9th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: A+Awards Winner 2 A+Awards Finalist 2 Featured Projects 6 Total Projects 30 8. Auer Weber © Aldo Amoretti Photography Founded in 1980, we are an internationally active architectural firm with offices in Stuttgart and Munich. We employ around 150 people from 20 countries and work on projects of various sizes and tasks from initial design through to completion. Each year, we create entries for between 30 and 40 competitions in our two offices, from which we generate a large proportion of our orders. These range from buildings for the community to educational and administrative buildings, sports and leisure facilities and large infrastructure projects. The diversity of our architecture is the result of in-depth study of the building tasks and where these tasks originate. Some of Auer Weber’s most prominent projects include: Aquatic Centre “Aquamotion” Courchevel , Saint-Bon-Tarentaise, France Arena du Pays d’Aix, Aix-en-Provence, France Extension of the District Office in Starnberg, Starnberg, Germany ESO Headquarters Extension, Garching, Germany Olympic Aquatics Stadium, Route de Torcy, France The following statistics helped Auer Weber achieve 8th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: A+Awards Winner 2 A+Awards Finalist 1 Featured Projects 9 Total Projects 24 7. Peter Ruge Architekten © Peter Ruge Architekten GmbH Identity+Sustainability=Architecture Peter Ruge Architekten is a locally and internationally active planning office based in Berlin. Our mission is simple: to develop and build sustainable architecture of the future. The agenda of the team along with three partners Peter Ruge, Kayoko Uchiyama and Matthias Matschewski includes new buildings, optimization of existing properties and urban planning designs. The projects are holistic, i.e. adapted to the climate, culture and needs of the users, and have received numerous awards and certifications. Our detailed understanding of sustainable design processes supports the decisions of our clients. In education field, Prof. Ruge shares our knowledge with a global design community at DIA, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences in Dessau, Shenyang Jianzhu University in China and Kyoto Seika University in Japan. Some of Peter Ruge Architekten’s most prominent projects include: Busan Opera House, South Korea, Busan, South Korea Congress Center Hangzhou, Hangzhou, China House O, Germany, Potsdam-Mittelmark, Germany LTD_1 Hamburg, Germany, Hamburg, Germany Muzeum Lotnictwa Krakow, Poland The following statistics helped Peter Ruge Architekten achieve 7th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: Featured Projects 12 Total Projects 18 6. HPP Architects © Christa Lachenmaier Photography HPP Architects is one of Europe’s leading architectural partnerships with a full range of architectural and master planning services. Since its foundation by Professor Hentrich, the 4th generation of HPP partnership today includes a global team of more than 25 nationalities and 480 architects, engineers, urban designers and specialists. Today it comprises 13 offices including 8 regional offices in Germany and 5 international branches in Turkey, China and Netherlands. HPP Architects’ headquarter is located in the Düsseldorf Media Harbor, further offices are located in Amsterdam, Beijing, Berlin, Cologne, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Istanbul, Leipzig, Munich, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Stuttgart. HPP completed more than 1200 buildings worldwide and aspires to create architectural quality of lasting value beyond the here and now: timeless and yet clearly part of their time, innovative and equally grounded in history. Some of HPP Architects’s most prominent projects include: LVM 5 , Münster, Germany Medical Library Oasis (O.A.S.E.), Düsseldorf, Germany Hochschule Ruhr West, Mülheim, Germany Henkel Asia-Pacific and China Headquarters, Shanghai, China Dreischeibenhaus, Düsseldorf, Germany The following statistics helped HPP Architects achieve 6th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: A+Awards Finalist 3 Featured Projects 12 Total Projects 25 5. Behnisch Architekten © David Matthiessen The Stuttgart-based practice known today as Behnisch Architekten was founded in 1989 under the leadership of Stefan Behnisch. Originally established as a branch office of Günter Behnisch’s practice Behnisch & Partner, it became independent in 1991 and has subsequently developed into an international practice with offices in Stuttgart, Munich, Los Angeles/California (1999 – 2011), and Boston. These offices are directed by Stefan Behnisch and his partners in varying combinations. The Partners are Robert Hösle, Robert Matthew Noblett and Stefan Rappold. Stefan Behnisch is involved in all three offices. From the outset, the social dimension of architecture has been a fundamental aspect of the firm’s design philosophy. Some of Behnisch Architekten’s most prominent projects include: SC Workplaces, California City of Santa Monica Public Parking Structure #6, Santa Monica, California Primary School Infanteriestrasse, München, Germany Harvard University Science and Engineering Complex, Boston, Massachusetts John and Frances Angelos Law Center, University of Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland The following statistics helped Behnisch Architekten achieve 5th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: A+Awards Finalist 9 Featured Projects 8 Total Projects 24 4. wulf architekten © Tobias Vollmer wulf architekten emerged from the architecture practice established 1987 in Stuttgart by Tobias Wulf. Currently the office is managed by Tobias Wulf, Jan-Michael Kallfaß, Ingmar Menzer and Steffen Vogt. From 1996 to 2018, Kai Bierich and Alexander Vohl were partners of Tobias Wulf at wulf architekten. Currently, the company has about 140 employees, nine of them being senior architects. With three office locations – Stuttgart, Berlin and Basel (CH) – wulf architekten is also working on projects abroad. Some of wulf architekten’s most prominent projects include: Parking Garage Facade P22a at the Cologne Exhibition Centre, Cologne, Germany Four primary schools in modular design, Munich, Germany School Center North, Stuttgart, Germany Canteen and Media Center for North vocational school center, Darmstadt, Germany Chamber of Industry and Commerce, headquarters, Stuttgart, Germany The following statistics helped wulf architekten achieve 4th place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: A+Awards Winner 1 A+Awards Finalist 1 Featured Projects 11 Total Projects 18 3. TCHOBAN VOSS Architekten © TCHOBAN VOSS Architekten GmbH TCHOBAN VOSS Architekten design, plan and build for national and international clients in the public and private sectors. The company, with offices in Hamburg, Berlin and Dresden, is named after Sergei Tchoban, architect BDA, and his partner Ekkehard Voss, architect BDA (1963-2024). With over 150 highly qualified, interdisciplinary employees and many years of experience, it offers architecturally and functionally sustainable solutions for a wide range of building projects in Germany and abroad. TCHOBAN VOSS Architekten is member of the Association of German Architects (BDA), the Chambers of Architects in Hamburg, Berlin and Saxony, the Förderverein Bundesstiftung Baukultur e.V. as well as of the European Architects Network (EAN). Some of TCHOBAN VOSS Architekten’s most prominent projects include: EDGE Suedkreuz Berlin, Berlin, Germany SKF Test Centre for large-scale bearings, Schweinfurt, Germany Seestraße, Berlin, Berlin, Germany Koenigstadt-Quartier, Berlin, Germany EMBASSY – Living alongside Koellnischer Park, Berlin, Berlin, Germany The following statistics helped TCHOBAN VOSS Architekten achieve 3rd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: A+Awards Winner 1 A+Awards Finalist 6 Featured Projects 12 Total Projects 29 2. Barkow Leibinger © Barkow Leibinger The scope of Barkow Leibinger’s work spans from cultural projects to industrial ones. Their focus on industrial architecture includes master planning and building representational and functional buildings for production, logistical and office spaces. Some of Barkow Leibinger’s most prominent projects include: Production Hall Trumpf, Hettingen, Germany Stadthaus M1 – Green City Hotel, Freiburg, Germany Harvard ArtLab, Boston, Massachusetts Production Hall, Grüsch, Switzerland Fraunhofer Research Campus, Waischenfeld, Germany The following statistics helped Barkow Leibinger achieve 2nd place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: Featured Projects 12 Total Projects 17 1. J.MAYER.H © J.MAYER.H J. MAYER H’s studio, focuses on works at the intersection of architecture, communication and new technology. From urban planning schemes and buildings to installation work and objects with new materials, the relationship between the human body, technology and nature form the background for a new production of space. Some of J.MAYER.H’s most prominent projects include: MIAMI MUSEUM GARAGE, Miami, Florida n.n. Residence, Moscow, Russia Hasselt Court House , Hasselt, Belgium Highway Rest Stops, Tbilisi, Georgia Rest Stops, Gori, Georgia Featured image: Tram Stops, Kehl, Germany The following statistics helped J.MAYER.H achieve 1st place in the 30 Best Architecture Firms in Germany: A+Awards Winner 5 A+Awards Finalist 3 Featured Projects 19 Total Projects 30 Why Should I Trust Architizer’s Ranking? With more than 30,000 architecture firms and over 130,000 projects within its database, Architizer is proud to host the world’s largest online community of architects and building product manufacturers. Its celebrated A+Awards program is also the largest celebration of architecture and building products, with more than 400 jurors and hundreds of thousands of public votes helping to recognize the world’s best architecture each year. Architizer also powers firm directories for a number of AIA (American Institute of Architects) Chapters nationwide, including the official directory of architecture firms for AIA New York. An example of a project page on Architizer with Project Award Badges highlighted A Guide to Project Awards The blue “+” badge denotes that a project has won a prestigious A+Award as described above. Hovering over the badge reveals details of the award, including award category, year, and whether the project won the jury or popular choice award. The orange Project of the Day and yellow Featured Project badges are awarded by Architizer’s Editorial team, and are selected based on a number of factors. The following factors increase a project’s likelihood of being featured or awarded Project of the Day status: Project completed within the last 3 years A well written, concise project description of at least 3 paragraphs Architectural design with a high level of both functional and aesthetic value High quality, in focus photographs At least 8 photographs of both the interior and exterior of the building Inclusion of architectural drawings and renderings Inclusion of construction photographs There are 7 Projects of the Day each week and a further 31 Featured Projects. Each Project of the Day is published on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Stories, while each Featured Project is published on Facebook. Each Project of the Day also features in Architizer’s Weekly Projects Newsletter and shared with 170,000 subscribers.     We’re constantly look for the world’s best architects to join our community. If you would like to understand more about this ranking list and learn how your firm can achieve a presence on it, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at editorial@architizer.com. The post 30 Best Architecture and Design Firms in Germany appeared first on Journal.

17 Cutest Kawaii Fonts That are So Adorable Zoe Santoro • May 30, 2025 In this article:See more ▼Post may contain affiliate links which give us commissions at no cost to you. Kawaii fonts are exactly what they sound like – typefaces that embody the Japanese concept of “kawaii” (meaning cute). These fonts typically feature rounded letterforms, playful details, and that unmistakable charm that makes you want to squeeze them like a plushie. Whether you’re designing anime merchandise, creating content for social media, or just want to add a dash of cuteness to your projects, kawaii fonts are your secret weapon for instant adorability. 👋 Psst... Did you know you can get unlimited downloads of 59,000+ fonts and millions of other creative assets for just $16.95/mo? Learn more »The Most Adorable Kawaii Fonts of 2025 Not all cute fonts are created equal, so I’ve curated a collection of the most genuinely kawaii typefaces that capture that authentic anime aesthetic. Here are my top picks: Bubble Bliss Bloom Bubble Bliss Bloom is a groovy font that exudes a cute and chunky aesthetic. Its playful design incorporates bubble-like elements, making it perfect for anime-inspired or youthful projects that require a fun and energetic typographic approach.Cute Lime Cute Lime is a charming bubble display font that brings a refreshing and lively feel to designs. Its rounded, inflated letterforms create a sweet and approachable look, ideal for projects targeting a younger audience or those aiming for a lighthearted vibe.Clefy Clefy is a delightful bubble font that combines cuteness with a touch of sophistication. Its inflated characters maintain a clean and legible appearance, making it versatile for both playful and moderately formal designs that require a friendly, approachable typeface.BLUM BLUM is a cute and lovely bubble font that blends script and handwritten styles with sans-serif elements. This decorative typeface is perfect for children’s products, as it captures a youthful spirit while maintaining readability and charm.Get 300+ Fonts for FREEEnter your email to download our 100% free "Font Lover's Bundle". For commercial & personal use. No royalties. No fees. No attribution. 100% free to use anywhere. Babel Gamee Babel Gamee is a playful and chunky bubble font that stands out with its bold, inflated characters. This decorative typeface is ideal for game designs, children’s products, or any project that requires a fun, chubby letterform with high visual impact.Fluffy Blitz Fluffy Blitz is a dynamic graffiti bubble font that brings street art flair to designs. With its playful and cartoon-like appearance, this font is perfect for urban-themed projects, youth-oriented designs, or any work that needs a bold, energetic typographic statement.Smothy Bubble Font Smothy Bubble Font combines retro charm with a modern bubble aesthetic. Its smooth, rounded forms create a nostalgic yet contemporary feel, making it suitable for vintage-inspired designs or projects that aim to blend old-school cool with current trends.Booba Candy Booba Candy is a bold and playful typeface that evokes the sweetness of confectionery. Its thick, rounded forms and lively character make it an excellent choice for candy packaging, children’s products, or any design that needs to convey a fun, indulgent feel.Dwangku Dwangku is a joyful display font that combines bubble-like qualities with a sans-serif structure. Its upbeat and fun design makes it perfect for headlines, logos, or any project that requires a cheerful and eye-catching typographic element.Baby Glaze Baby Glaze is a decorative font that captures the essence of cartoons and childhood. Its soft, rounded forms and playful design make it ideal for children’s books, nursery decor, or any project targeting a young audience or aiming for a whimsical touch.Wanbots Wanbots is a bubble font that combines pop culture appeal with retro aesthetics. This sans-serif typeface offers a unique blend of futuristic and vintage elements, making it suitable for tech-related designs, retro-futuristic themes, or modern projects with a nostalgic twist.Love You Love You is a funny and cute balloon font that includes both letters and symbols. This decorative sans-serif typeface is perfect for Valentine’s Day designs, love-themed projects, or any work that needs to convey affection with a lighthearted, playful approach.Daily Bubble Font Daily Bubble Font combines retro charm with modern bubble aesthetics. Its rounded, inflated characters offer a fresh take on vintage typography, making it suitable for nostalgic designs, casual branding, or projects that need a friendly, approachable typeface.Bloombang Bloombang is a bubble display font that offers a bold and eye-catching typographic solution. This decorative sans-serif typeface features inflated letterforms that create visual impact, making it ideal for headlines, logos, or any design that needs to make a strong statement.Love Bold Love Bold is a display font that combines cuteness with a strong visual presence. Its bold character and child-like charm make it perfect for children’s products, love-themed designs, or any project that needs to convey affection with a touch of playfulness and strength.Gumiec Urban Gumiec Urban is a graffiti bubble font that brings street art style to typography. Its punk and groovy aesthetic makes it perfect for urban-themed designs, music-related projects, or any work that needs to convey a rebellious, energetic vibe with a touch of street credibility.Bubblegum Bubblegum is a lively bubble font that captures the essence of its namesake. Its rounded, inflated characters suggest movement and fluidity, making it ideal for designs related to confectionery, children’s products, or any project that needs to convey a fun, bouncy aesthetic.What Makes Kawaii Fonts So Irresistibly Cute? The magic of kawaii fonts lies in several key design characteristics that trigger our natural “aww” response: Rounded, Soft Letterforms Just like how baby animals have rounded features that make us want to protect them, kawaii fonts feature soft, curved letterforms instead of sharp edges. These gentle curves create an immediate sense of friendliness and approachability. The rounded shapes mimic the aesthetic of anime character designs, where even tough characters often have softer, more appealing features than their realistic counterparts. Playful Character Details True kawaii fonts often incorporate delightful little details that give each letter personality. You might find hearts dotting the i’s, stars incorporated into letterforms, or tiny faces peeking out from within characters. These whimsical touches transform ordinary text into something that feels alive and full of character – just like the expressive details that make anime characters so memorable. Bouncy, Uneven Baselines Many kawaii fonts feature letters that don’t sit perfectly on the baseline. Instead, they bounce up and down slightly, creating a sense of movement and energy that feels spontaneous and joyful. This imperfection paradoxically makes the fonts more perfect for their intended purpose – conveying that carefree, happy energy that’s central to kawaii culture. Pastel-Friendly Proportions Kawaii fonts are designed to work beautifully with the soft, pastel color palettes that dominate anime and Japanese cute culture. Their proportions and spacing are optimized to look stunning in pinks, lavenders, mint greens, and other dreamy hues. Where Can You Use Kawaii Fonts? The adorable nature of kawaii fonts makes them perfect for specific design contexts where cuteness is not just welcome – it’s essential: Anime and Manga Projects Obviously, kawaii fonts are a natural fit for anything anime-related. Whether you’re designing covers for manga, creating promotional materials for anime conventions, or developing an anime-inspired app, these fonts help establish that authentic Japanese cute aesthetic. Gaming and Streaming Graphics The gaming community, especially fans of Japanese games and kawaii aesthetics, absolutely loves these fonts. They’re perfect for Twitch overlays, YouTube thumbnails, gaming logos, and streaming graphics where you want to convey a fun, approachable vibe. Social Media Content Instagram posts, TikTok graphics, and Pinterest pins often benefit from kawaii fonts, especially when targeting younger audiences or communities interested in anime, K-pop, or Japanese culture. These fonts help content stand out in crowded social feeds. Children’s Products and Brands The inherently friendly and non-threatening nature of kawaii fonts makes them excellent choices for children’s books, toy packaging, educational materials, and youth-oriented brands that want to feel welcoming and fun. Fashion and Lifestyle Brands Brands targeting the “kawaii fashion” market – think Harajuku street style, pastel goth, or fairy kei aesthetics – can use these fonts to immediately signal their alignment with cute culture and Japanese-inspired fashion trends. Pro Tip: When using kawaii fonts for branding, pair them with clean, simple layouts to let the font’s personality shine without overwhelming the design. Where to Avoid Kawaii Fonts While kawaii fonts are undeniably adorable, there are certain contexts where their cuteness works against your design goals: Professional Business Communications Unless you’re specifically in the kawaii/anime industry, using these fonts for business cards, corporate presentations, or formal communications can undermine your professional credibility. Save them for creative projects instead. Serious or Somber Content The cheerful nature of kawaii fonts makes them inappropriate for serious topics, news content, academic papers, or any context where gravity and respect are paramount. High-Information Density Designs While kawaii fonts excel at grabbing attention, they can become difficult to read in large blocks of text. Stick to using them for headlines, short phrases, or decorative elements rather than body text. Formal Design Contexts Museums, government websites, legal documents, and other formal institutions should generally avoid kawaii fonts unless they’re specifically creating content about Japanese culture or targeting younger audiences. How to Choose the Perfect Kawaii Font With so many adorable options available, here’s how to select the kawaii font that’s just right for your project: Consider Your Audience Are you designing for hardcore anime fans who will appreciate subtle references and authentic Japanese typography? Or are you targeting a broader audience that just enjoys cute aesthetics? More authentic kawaii fonts work better for anime enthusiasts, while more generally “cute” fonts appeal to wider audiences. Match the Energy Level Some kawaii fonts are quietly cute, while others are energetically adorable. Match your font choice to the energy level of your content. A gentle, soft kawaii font works for meditation apps or skincare brands, while a bouncy, energetic one suits gaming content or party invitations. Test Readability Always test your chosen kawaii font at the size it will be used. Some highly decorative kawaii fonts lose their charm (and legibility) when scaled down for mobile screens or small print applications. Consider Cultural Sensitivity Since kawaii culture originates from Japan, be mindful of using these fonts in ways that respectfully appreciate rather than appropriate the culture. Understanding the context and meaning behind kawaii aesthetics will help you use these fonts more thoughtfully. Remember: The best kawaii font is one that feels authentic to the kawaii aesthetic while serving your specific design needs. Don’t just pick the “cutest” one – pick the one that works best for your project. Kawaii Font Pairing and Color Tips To get the most out of your kawaii fonts, consider these design best practices: Color Palette Magic Kawaii fonts shine brightest when paired with the right colors. Think soft pastels, dreamy gradients, and colors inspired by Japanese aesthetics. Pink and lavender are classics, but don’t overlook mint green, peach, sky blue, and cream. For contrast, pair your kawaii fonts with pure white or very light backgrounds. This creates that clean, airy feel that’s essential to kawaii design. Smart Font Pairing When combining kawaii fonts with other typefaces, balance is key. Pair a highly decorative kawaii font with a clean, simple sans-serif for body text. This gives you the personality you want while maintaining readability. Never pair two competing kawaii fonts together – let one be the star while supporting fonts stay neutral and clean. Layout Considerations Kawaii fonts work best when they have room to breathe. Give them plenty of white space, use them for shorter text elements, and consider how they’ll look alongside images or illustrations in your kawaii aesthetic. The Psychology Behind Kawaii Typography Understanding why kawaii fonts are so effective can help you use them more strategically in your designs: The “Baby Schema” Effect Kawaii fonts trigger what scientists call the “baby schema” – our evolutionary response to infant-like features. The rounded shapes, soft edges, and playful proportions mimic characteristics that make us want to nurture and protect, creating an immediate positive emotional response. Cultural Comfort For audiences familiar with anime and Japanese culture, kawaii fonts provide cultural comfort and belonging. They signal that you understand and appreciate their interests, creating an instant connection. Stress Relief Through Design In our increasingly stressful world, kawaii aesthetics offer a form of visual stress relief. The gentle, non-threatening nature of kawaii fonts can actually help viewers feel more relaxed and positive. Expert Opinions: Designers on Kawaii Typography Trends I reached out to several typography experts and anime industry professionals to get their insights on kawaii font trends: Yuki Tanaka, Anime Production Designer: “Kawaii fonts have evolved beyond just being ‘cute.’ Today’s best kawaii typefaces understand the balance between authenticity and accessibility. They respect Japanese design principles while being readable for global audiences.” Maria Santos, Digital Brand Designer: “I’ve seen a huge increase in clients requesting kawaii-inspired fonts, even for non-anime brands. There’s something about that gentle, approachable aesthetic that resonates with people seeking comfort and positivity in design.” David Kim, Gaming Industry Designer: “The gaming community has fully embraced kawaii typography. We’re seeing these fonts used not just in obviously cute games, but in UI design for apps and platforms where user comfort and approachability are priorities.” Common Kawaii Font Questions Let’s address some frequently asked questions about kawaii fonts: What makes a font “kawaii” versus just “cute”? True kawaii fonts draw specifically from Japanese aesthetic principles and anime/manga typography traditions. While cute fonts might just be rounded or playful, kawaii fonts embody the specific cultural aesthetic of Japanese cuteness, often incorporating elements like asymmetry, soft imperfection, and emotionally expressive details. Can I use kawaii fonts for commercial projects? It depends on the specific font’s license. Many kawaii fonts are available for commercial use, but always check the licensing terms before using them in paid projects. Some require purchase of a commercial license, while others are free for all uses. Do kawaii fonts work in languages other than English? Most kawaii fonts are designed primarily for English and basic Latin characters. However, some include Japanese characters (hiragana, katakana, and basic kanji) or extended character sets for other languages. Check the font specifications to see what languages are supported. How do I make my own kawaii font? Creating a kawaii font requires understanding both typography basics and kawaii aesthetic principles. Start by studying authentic Japanese kawaii design, practice drawing rounded, expressive letterforms, and consider using font creation software like FontForge or Glyphs. Remember that cultural sensitivity is important when creating fonts inspired by Japanese aesthetics. The Future of Kawaii Typography As we look ahead to the rest of 2025 and beyond, kawaii fonts are evolving in exciting directions: Variable Font Technology New kawaii fonts are beginning to incorporate variable font technology, allowing designers to adjust cuteness levels, roundness, and playfulness on a sliding scale. This gives unprecedented control over the kawaii aesthetic. Cultural Fusion Styles We’re seeing kawaii fonts that blend Japanese cuteness with other cultural aesthetics – Korean-inspired kawaii fonts, Western cartoon influences, and even minimalist Scandinavian approaches to cute typography. Accessibility Improvements Newer kawaii fonts are being designed with better accessibility in mind, ensuring they remain cute while meeting readability standards for users with visual impairments or reading difficulties. Conclusion: Embracing the Kawaii Font Revolution Kawaii fonts represent more than just a design trend – they’re a bridge between cultures, a source of visual comfort, and a powerful tool for creating emotional connections with audiences. In a world that often feels harsh and overwhelming, these adorable typefaces offer a gentle reminder that design can be both beautiful and kind. Whether you’re a hardcore anime fan looking to create authentic Japanese-inspired designs, a brand seeking to connect with younger audiences, or simply someone who believes the world needs more cuteness, kawaii fonts have something special to offer. The key to using kawaii fonts successfully lies in understanding their cultural context, respecting their origins, and applying them thoughtfully to create designs that truly embody the spirit of kawaii – making the world a little brighter, a little softer, and a lot more adorable. So go ahead, embrace your cute side, and let these kawaii fonts add some much-needed sweetness to your next design project. After all, in a world that could always use more kindness, what could be more perfect than typography that makes people smile? Final Tip: Remember that the best kawaii font is one that feels authentic to both the aesthetic and your project’s needs. Choose with your heart, but design with your head, and you’ll create something truly magical. Zoe Santoro Zoe is an art student and graphic designer with a passion for creativity and adventure. Whether she’s sketching in a cozy café or capturing inspiration from vibrant cityscapes, she finds beauty in every corner of the world. With a love for bold colors, clean design, and storytelling through visuals, Zoe blends her artistic skills with her wanderlust to create stunning, travel-inspired designs. Follow her journey as she explores new places, discovers fresh inspiration, and shares her creative process along the way. 10 Warm Color Palettes That’ll Brighten Your DayThere’s nothing quite like the embracing quality of warm colors to make a design feel inviting and alive. As someone...How to Upscale Photos Without Blurriness or PixelationMaking a small picture larger without it turning blurry or blocky is called ‘image upscaling’. Suppose you make a small...The Influence of Font Size and Weight on Cognitive LoadAs designers, we obsess over kerning, color palettes and grids, but how often do we stop to consider how our...

How to Upscale Photos Without Blurriness or Pixelation In this article:See more ▼Post may contain affiliate links which give us commissions at no cost to you.Making a small picture larger without it turning blurry or blocky is called ‘image upscaling’. Suppose you make a small sketch on a sheet of paper and then attempt to stretch the paper, your sketch will get larger, but may look odd. Computers follow a similar process when enlarging digital pictures. Consider you have a tiny patterned blanket and you want a larger blanket with the same pattern. Upscaling is like figuring out how to make that bigger blanket without distorting the pattern. 👋 Psst... Did you know you can get unlimited downloads of 59,000+ fonts and millions of other creative assets for just $16.95/mo? Learn more »Traditional Upscaling Methods There are simple ways computers make images bigger. These are like different recipes for stretching pictures. Nearest Neighbor Interpolation Nearest Neighbor is the most straightforward approach. Here, the computer just enlarges each dot (pixel). It’s something like building with blocks – quite basic but can appear very blocky if you zoom in excessively on a digital image. This method works quickly but produces the most basic results. Bilinear Interpolation Bilinear Interpolation is slightly more advanced. In this method, the machine looks at surrounding dots and mixes their colors. This method resembles color mixing to create intermediate shades between existing ones. The outcome is softer than Nearest Neighbor, but might be somewhat unclear or blurry.Get 300+ Fonts for FREEEnter your email to download our 100% free "Font Lover's Bundle". For commercial & personal use. No royalties. No fees. No attribution. 100% free to use anywhere. Bicubic Interpolation Bicubic Interpolation is the smartest of the traditional methods. Here, the machine looks at more dots around each point and performs more calculations to find out what should be in between them. This resembles an artist carefully combining shades to refine an image. It produces superior results compared to the other traditional methods, yet requires more time for processing by the computer. Popular Upscaling Tools There are many tools available that can make your pictures bigger and sharper. All-in-One AI Platforms Picture increasing tools are quite plentiful out there, including the comprehensive platform, Cabina.AI. It has an AI In Painter feature with an Upscale function that makes your pictures larger and sharper. Besides upscaling, it offers varied AI models you can use to create and fix images. A unique model includes the Magnific AI upscaler which excels greatly in improving the appearance of tiny photos when enlarged. With such convenience, you can work on all your pictures in one spot without moving from one program to another. Free and Specialized Tools GIMP operates like a free digital art workspace on your computer. It’s capable of enlarging pictures using the traditional methods discussed earlier. We also have ‘Waifu2x’ which is specifically designed to enhance cartoon-style images when they’re enlarged. This tool works particularly well with anime and illustration-style artwork. Professional Solutions Adobe Photoshop is like a premium art studio that professionals prefer. It packs excellent picture enlargement tools with advanced algorithms and fine-tuning options. There’s also Topaz Gigapixel AI, a specialized software with only one purpose – increasing picture size using intelligent AI technology. This tool focuses exclusively on upscaling and often produces exceptional results. Tips for Better Results When you want to make a picture bigger and maintain quality, here are some helpful strategies to follow. Start with High-Quality Originals Always pick the highest-quality image available. Picture it like baking – using great ingredients makes your cake delicious. Similarly, using a high-resolution original image grants you a stunning enlarged result. The better your starting material, the better your final output will be. Set Realistic Expectations Don’t expect miracles from any upscaling method. Turning a tiny, unclear photo into a flawless enlarged version is quite challenging, even for advanced AI. It’s akin to predicting dinosaur appearance from just a tiny fossil. Sure, you could make educated guesses, but most likely there will be minor discrepancies from the original detail. Experiment with Different Methods Try various upscaling techniques to see which works best for your specific image. Occasionally, one method of enlarging an image outperforms others depending on the content. Imagine it as testing different paths to school – some may be faster depending on the circumstances. What works for one image type might not work as well for another. Scale Gradually Rather than amplifying an image tenfold in one go, attempt doubling its size gradually, repeating the process as necessary. Consider it like climbing stairs versus trying to leap straight to the top. Stepping up bit by bit usually works better and produces cleaner results with less distortion. Apply Final Touches Post-enlargement, improve the aesthetic appeal of your photo by tweaking colors or enhancing sharpness and contrast. This resembles adding icing onto a cake to make it look more enticing. Small adjustments can make a significant difference in the final appearance. Wrapping Up Making pictures bigger is something computers can accomplish in many different ways. The simple traditional methods like Nearest Neighbor, Bilinear, and Bicubic work adequately for basic needs. The newer AI-powered approaches can make pictures look much better when enlarged, producing results that seem almost magical compared to older techniques. Remember that starting with a good picture helps tremendously. No matter how intelligent the computer algorithms become, they cannot perfectly reconstruct details that were never present in the original small picture. As computers continue to get smarter, making pictures bigger will keep improving. Soon, the difference between a picture that was always large and one that was enlarged from a smaller version might be nearly impossible to detect, even for experts who specialize in image processing. Zoe Santoro Zoe is an art student and graphic designer with a passion for creativity and adventure. Whether she’s sketching in a cozy café or capturing inspiration from vibrant cityscapes, she finds beauty in every corner of the world. With a love for bold colors, clean design, and storytelling through visuals, Zoe blends her artistic skills with her wanderlust to create stunning, travel-inspired designs. 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In this article:See more ▼Post may contain affiliate links which give us commissions at no cost to you.When you’re racing down the highway at 80 mph, you’ve got about 3 seconds to grab someone’s attention with your billboard. In those crucial moments, your font choice can make or break your entire advertising campaign. As a designer who’s worked on countless outdoor advertising campaigns, I can tell you that billboard fonts are a completely different beast from what works on your laptop screen. What looks stunning in your design software might be completely illegible from 500 feet away. Billboard typography isn’t just about being big and bold—though that certainly helps. It’s about creating maximum impact with minimal reading time, ensuring your message cuts through visual noise, and making split-second connections with drivers who are focused on the road. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the art and science of billboard fonts. From the towering sans-serifs that dominate Times Square to the custom letterforms that make brands unforgettable, we’ll break down exactly what makes a font work at highway speeds. 👋 Psst... Did you know you can get unlimited downloads of 59,000+ fonts and millions of other creative assets for just $16.95/mo? Learn more »The Ultimate Collection of Billboard-Ready Fonts Not all fonts are created equal when it comes to outdoor advertising. I’ve compiled the most effective billboard fonts that deliver maximum readability and impact from distances that matter. Here are the champions: METZLER METZLER is a minimal sans-serif typeface that embodies simplicity and clarity. Its clean lines and balanced proportions make it ideal for modern design projects, especially in digital environments where readability is crucial.Qualivite Qualivite is a bold serif font that combines vintage charm with contemporary flair. Its strong character and elegant serifs make it perfect for creating impactful headlines and adding a touch of sophistication to design projects.Get 300+ Fonts for FREEEnter your email to download our 100% free "Font Lover's Bundle". For commercial & personal use. No royalties. No fees. No attribution. 100% free to use anywhere. Carientz Carientz is a modern, minimal, and bold sans-serif font that exudes confidence and strength. Its clean, geometric shapes and thick strokes make it an excellent choice for branding, logos, and striking headlines in contemporary designs.Glofin Glofin is a modern and soft bold font that bridges the gap between vintage and contemporary styles. Its rounded edges and bold presence create a friendly yet impactful impression, suitable for a wide range of design applications.RNS Guaire RNS Guaire is a modern and elegant sans-serif font that exudes sophistication. Its refined lines and balanced proportions make it perfect for high-end branding, editorial design, and projects that require a touch of class.Space Space is a minimalist sans-serif font that embraces simplicity and functionality. Its clean, uncluttered design makes it highly legible and versatile, ideal for modern web design, user interfaces, and minimalist branding projects.Lonzies Lonzies is a display sans-serif font with a soft bold style that uniquely combines Christmas and graffiti influences. Its playful yet bold character makes it suitable for creating eye-catching headlines and designs with a urban, festive twist.Boldy Grotesque Boldy Grotesque is a condensed sans-serif font that embodies minimalism and strength. Its narrow letterforms, similar to the popular font Impact, and clean lines make it excellent for creating impactful headlines and efficient use of space in various design contexts.Harlet Harlet is a modern sans-serif font designed with headlines and fashion in mind. Its sleek, contemporary appearance and balanced proportions make it perfect for creating stylish designs in fashion magazines, posters, and branding materials.Alaska Alaska is an adventure-inspired sans-serif typeface that combines minimalism with a nostalgic feel. Its clean lines and subtle vintage touches make it ideal for outdoor-themed designs, travel branding, and projects that aim to evoke a sense of exploration.NORD NORD is a minimal display typeface designed for headlines and logos. Its clean, geometric forms and versatile character make it an excellent choice for modern branding projects, creating impactful headlines, and designing memorable logos.MARXURE MARXURE is a bold headline typeface with a modern edge. Its strong presence and contemporary design make it perfect for creating attention-grabbing headlines in web design, posters, and other media where impact is crucial.Girast Girast is a modern condensed font that combines boldness with efficiency. Its narrow letterforms and contemporary style make it ideal for designs where space is at a premium, such as in packaging, posters, and responsive web design.Bondie Slab Bondie Slab is a condensed slab serif font that combines strength with elegance. Its sturdy serifs and narrow proportions make it excellent for creating impactful headlines and adding a touch of sophistication to various design projects.Roadway Country Roadway Country is a sans-serif font inspired by highway and street signage. Its bold, clear design makes it highly legible and perfect for creating designs with a road trip theme or projects that require a strong, directional feel.JUST Sans JUST Sans is a clean, modern, and minimal geometric typeface. Its simple forms and balanced design make it highly versatile, suitable for a wide range of applications from branding to user interface design where clarity and simplicity are key.BERLIN Rounded BERLIN Rounded is a sans-serif display typeface featuring soft, rounded edges. Its friendly appearance and good readability make it ideal for creating welcoming designs, particularly in branding, packaging, and digital interfaces.CRUX CRUX is a minimal display typeface designed for headlines and logos. Its clean, geometric forms and distinctive character make it perfect for creating memorable branding elements and impactful headlines in modern design projects.Glacier Glacier is a clean and minimal font family that embodies simplicity and elegance. Its crisp lines and balanced proportions make it highly versatile, suitable for both body text and headlines in projects that prioritize clarity and modern aesthetics.Prinles Prinles is a bold font that exudes strength and confidence. Its thick strokes and solid presence make it ideal for creating powerful headlines, impactful logos, and designs that need to make a strong statement.Bensoud Bensoud is a sans-serif font that combines modern simplicity with subtle character. Its clean lines and balanced design make it versatile for various applications, from body text to headlines, especially in projects that require a contemporary yet approachable feel.Quicksed Quicksed is a condensed sans display font designed for efficiency and impact. Its narrow letterforms and clean design make it excellent for headlines, posters, and designs where space is limited but visual impact is crucial.Valeno Valeno is a decorative display font that blends sans-serif simplicity with subtle serif-like details. Its unique character makes it stand out in headlines and logos, perfect for creating distinctive branding and eye-catching designs.Pinnid Pinnid is a modern font that combines sans-serif and serif elements. Its hybrid nature gives it a unique character, making it versatile for various design applications, from contemporary branding to editorial design where a touch of sophistication is desired.Tactico Tactico is a bold font that blends vintage charm with modern boldness. Its strong presence and subtle retro touches make it ideal for creating impactful headlines, logos, and designs that need to combine strength with a hint of nostalgia.NOAH NOAH is a minimalist font that seamlessly blends sans-serif and serif styles. Its clean, versatile design makes it suitable for a wide range of applications, from body text to headlines, especially in projects that require a modern yet timeless aesthetic. What Makes a Font Billboard-Ready? Designing for billboards is like designing for the visually impaired—everything needs to be bigger, bolder, and more contrasted than you think. But there’s more nuance to it than just cranking up the size. Maximum Contrast is your best friend. Billboard fonts need thick strokes and generous white space. Think of fonts like Impact or Bebas Neue—letterforms that create strong silhouettes against any background. Thin, delicate fonts simply disappear at highway viewing distances. Wide Character Spacing prevents letters from bleeding together visually. What looks perfectly spaced on your monitor becomes an illegible blob from 300 feet away. Billboard fonts often feature naturally wide spacing, or you’ll need to manually increase tracking significantly. Simplified Letterforms eliminate visual confusion. Fancy serifs, decorative flourishes, and intricate details get lost in the distance. The most effective billboard fonts strip away everything non-essential, leaving only the core structure of each letter. Consistent Weight Distribution ensures every part of every letter maintains visibility. Fonts with extreme thick-to-thin variations might look elegant up close, but those delicate thin strokes vanish when viewed from afar. Size Matters: Typography at Scale Here’s something that might surprise you: the biggest billboard fonts aren’t necessarily the most readable. There’s actually a science to sizing typography for outdoor advertising. The rule of thumb? For every 10 feet of viewing distance, you need at least 1 inch of letter height. So if drivers will see your billboard from 250 feet away, your main headline needs to be at least 25 inches tall. But that’s just the starting point. Consider the viewing angle too. A billboard positioned perpendicular to traffic gets viewed straight-on, while one at an angle requires larger text to compensate for the distorted perspective. Highway billboards also need larger fonts than city billboards since viewing time is much shorter. Hierarchy becomes critical at billboard scale. Your main message might be 30 inches tall, but secondary information should drop to maybe 15 inches, and fine print shouldn’t go below 8 inches if you expect anyone to read it. Color and Contrast: The Billboard Font’s Best Friends Even the perfect billboard font can fail spectacularly with poor color choices. High contrast isn’t just recommended—it’s absolutely essential for highway visibility. Black on white remains the gold standard for readability, but it’s not always the most eye-catching combination. Dark blue on yellow, white on deep red, or black on bright yellow all deliver excellent contrast while adding visual punch. Avoid color combinations that create vibration effects—like red text on blue backgrounds—which become even more problematic when viewed through car windshields or in varying light conditions. Remember, your billboard needs to work in bright sunlight, during golden hour, and under streetlights. Background considerations matter enormously. A font that’s perfectly readable on a solid background might disappear when placed over a busy photograph or gradient. Many successful billboards use solid color blocks behind text to ensure consistent readability. The Psychology of Highway Typography Billboard fonts don’t just communicate words—they communicate emotions and brand personality in milliseconds. The psychology behind font choice becomes amplified when you’re designing for split-second attention spans. Sans-serif fonts dominate billboard advertising because they project modernity, clarity, and straightforwardness. Brands like Apple, Nike, and Google use clean sans-serifs on their billboards because these fonts align with their contemporary, no-nonsense brand personalities. Bold display fonts work when you want to project energy, excitement, or urgency. Think movie posters, event announcements, or retail sales promotions. These fonts scream for attention—literally and figuratively. Custom lettering helps brands stand out in a sea of standard fonts. Coca-Cola’s distinctive script, McDonald’s golden arches typography, or Disney’s magical letterforms are instantly recognizable from highway distances because they’re completely unique. Digital vs. Traditional Billboard Considerations The rise of digital billboards has changed the font game entirely. Static billboards have one shot to communicate your message, while digital boards can cycle through multiple messages, each with different typographic approaches. Digital billboards allow for animated text, which can help with readability—but it can also become distracting. Simple animations like fading in or sliding can help direct attention, while complex animations often reduce legibility. Digital displays also deal with pixel density limitations. Fonts that look crisp in print might appear pixelated or blurry on LED screens, especially when viewed from angles. Sans-serif fonts generally translate better to digital displays than serif fonts. Brightness and contrast work differently on digital billboards. These displays can achieve much higher contrast ratios than printed billboards, but they also compete with ambient light conditions that change throughout the day. Common Billboard Font Mistakes to Avoid I’ve seen enough billboard design disasters to fill a horror movie. Here are the most common mistakes that turn potentially effective advertising into roadside illegible art. Script fonts might look elegant in wedding invitations, but they’re billboard poison. Cursive letterforms, decorative swashes, and connecting characters become unreadable mush from highway distances. Save the scripts for intimate applications. Thin fonts simply vanish. What looks sophisticated and minimalist on your computer screen becomes invisible on the highway. If you wouldn’t use a font for an eye chart, don’t use it for a billboard. Too many fonts create visual chaos. Stick to one or two fonts maximum. Using three or more fonts on a billboard usually results in a confused, amateur-looking design that fails to communicate effectively. Insufficient contrast between text and background kills readability faster than anything else. That subtle gray text on white background might look trendy, but it’s useless for outdoor advertising. Industry Secrets from Billboard Designers After years in the outdoor advertising industry, I’ve picked up some insider knowledge about what really works for billboard typography. Test at distance before finalizing your design. Print out your billboard concept at a much smaller size and view it from across a large room. If you can’t read it easily from that distance, it won’t work on an actual billboard. Consider viewing conditions beyond just distance. Will drivers see your billboard while going uphill or downhill? Are there trees or buildings that might partially obstruct the view? These factors influence font size and placement decisions. Design for the worst-case scenario. If your billboard is readable during a rainstorm at dusk with dirty windshields, it’ll definitely work under optimal conditions. This usually means going bigger and bolder than your initial instincts suggest. Prioritize the primary message. Your billboard should communicate one main idea instantly. Supporting information can be smaller, but your core message needs to hit like a typographic freight train. The Future of Billboard Typography Billboard fonts continue evolving alongside technology and changing urban landscapes. Digital displays, augmented reality integration, and responsive outdoor advertising are reshaping how we think about highway typography. Variable fonts are starting to appear on digital billboards, allowing designs to adapt based on viewing distance, time of day, or even traffic speed. Imagine fonts that automatically adjust their weight and spacing based on current highway conditions. Interactive elements are becoming more common, with QR codes and social media handles requiring specific typographic treatment to remain scannable at highway speeds. Environmental consciousness is influencing font choices too. Some advertising companies are choosing fonts that require less ink or energy to display, proving that even typography can be sustainable. Making Your Billboard Font Choice Choosing the right font for your billboard campaign requires balancing readability, brand personality, and practical constraints. Start with your message and audience, then work backward to typography that serves both. Consider your brand first. A law firm and a music festival require completely different typographic approaches, even when advertising on the same highway. Your font choice should reinforce brand personality while maintaining highway-speed readability. Think about context. Urban billboards can often use slightly more complex fonts than rural highway signs because viewing distances are shorter and speeds are lower. Location matters as much as message. Test ruthlessly. The most beautiful font in the world is worthless if drivers can’t read your message. When in doubt, choose readability over artistry—your advertising budget depends on it. Billboard fonts represent typography at its most challenging and most impactful. These fonts don’t just carry messages—they deliver them at 70 mph, fighting for attention in a world of visual noise. Master the art of billboard typography, and you’ll master the art of communication itself. So the next time you’re cruising down the highway, pay attention to the fonts flying past your windshield. Notice which ones grab your attention and which ones blend into the background. That’s the difference between typography that works and typography that simply exists. Your billboard has seconds to make an impression. Make sure your font choice makes those seconds count.

May 23, 20253 min readNew Contacts Let You See Infrared Light—Even with Your Eyes ClosedStraight out of science fiction, these contact lenses convert infrared light into visible light that humans can seeBy Elizabeth Gibney & Nature magazine People who tested a new type of designer contact lens could see flashing infrared signals from a light source. Yuqian Ma, Yunuo Chen, Hang Zhao (CC BY SA)Humans have a new way of seeing infrared light, without the need for clunky night-vision goggles. Researchers have made the first contact lenses to convey infrared vision — and the devices work even when people have their eyes closed.The team behind the invention, led by scientists at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in Hefei, gave the lenses their power by infusing them with nanoparticles that convert near-infrared light in the 800–1,600-nanometre range into shorter-wavelength, visible light that humans can see, in the 400–700-nanometre range. The researchers estimate that the lenses cost around US$200 per pair to make.The technology, which was detailed in Cell on 22 May, “is incredibly cool, just like something out of a science-fiction movie”, says Xiaomin Li, a chemist at Fudan University in Shanghai, China. It opens up “new possibilities for understanding the world around us”, he adds.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.Pros and consNear-infrared light sits just outside the range of wavelengths that humans can normally detect. Some animals can sense infrared light, although probably not well enough to form images.Night-vision goggles enable humans to see infrared radiation, but they are bulky and require a power source to work. The new lenses avoid these limitations while also offering richer, multi-coloured infrared images that night-vision goggles, which operate on a monochrome green scale, typically do not.However, the lenses do have their own shortcomings. Because the embedded nanoparticles scatter light, the images the lenses create are blurry. The team partially corrected this by putting the technology into glasses with additional lenses that redirect the light. Moreover, unlike night-vision goggles, which amplify light to detect low-level infrared signals, the lenses allow users to see only intense infrared signals, such as those emitted by light-emitting diodes (LEDs).For these reasons, some critics don’t think the lenses will prove useful. “I cannot think of any application that would not be fundamentally simpler with infrared goggles,” says Glen Jeffery, a neuroscientist at University College London who specializes in eye health. “Evolution has avoided this for a good reason.”Nevertheless, the authors think that their lenses can be further optimized and foresee several possible uses for the invention. For instance, wearers would be able to read anti-counterfeit marks that emit infrared wavelengths but are otherwise invisible to the human eye, says co-author Yuqian Ma, a neuroscientist at the USTC.Li, who was not involved in the work, offers another possibility: the lenses might be worn by doctors conducting near-infrared fluorescence surgery, to directly detect and remove cancerous lesions “without relying on bulky traditional equipment”.‘An exhilarating moment’To create the contact lenses, the scientists built on previous research in which they gave mice infrared vision by injecting nanoparticles into the animals’ retinas. This time, they took a less invasive approach and added nanoparticles made of rare-earth metals including ytterbium and erbium to a soup of polymer building blocks to form the soft lenses, and then tested them for safety.The main challenge, Ma says, was to pack enough nanoparticles into the lenses to convert sufficient infrared light into detectable visible light, while not otherwise altering the lenses’ optical properties, including their transparency.Tests in mice showed that animals wearing the lenses tended to choose a dark box that was considered ‘safe’ over one lit up by infrared light, whereas mice without the lenses showed no preference for either box. Humans wearing the lenses could see flickering infrared light from an LED well enough to both pick up Morse code signals and sense which direction the signals were coming from. The lenses’ performance even improved when participants closed their eyes, because near-infrared light easily penetrates the eyelids, whereas visible light, which could have interfered with image formation, does so to a lesser degree.“Witnessing people wearing contact lenses and successfully seeing infrared flashes was undoubtedly an exhilarating moment,” Ma says.The team now plans to find ways to cram more nanoparticles into the lenses and hopes to develop particles that can convert light with higher efficiency, to improve the technology’s sensitivity. “We have overcome the physiological limitations of human vision, as if opening a brand-new window onto the world,” Ma says.This article is reproduced with permission and was first published on May 22, 2025.

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here GSC Game World’s Stalker: Legends of the Zone Trilogy Enhanced Edition remasters released to largely negative reviews from fans. While the new remasters don’t eliminate the original releases—in fact, buying the remasters also gives you access to their original versions—fans are upset at numerous changes across the games. One of the biggest changes in the Legends of the Zone Trilogy remasters is the elimination of Russian content across all three games. This not only includes the removal of the beloved Russian dub—which technically still exists underneath the Polish “lektor” dub—but also countless Soviet-era assets which leave the remasters feeling rather weird. Stalker Trilogy devs are listening to fans In a statement to fans alongside the games’ first patch, GSC Game World explained that it is “listening to feedback” relating to the new remaster. There have been numerous other issues across the game including new bugs, weirdly blurry visuals and the omission of techniques such as DLSS. However, the developer didn’t explain which feedback it is listening to. “We will continue to work on improving the trilogy,” the developer said in a recent statement. “Stalkers, we care about your feedback and are working on fixing the most critical issues. We really want to make your comeback to the Zone special.” GSC Game World also removed a number of references to Soviet Russia during the development of Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl after the country’s invasion of Ukraine. With friends, family and developers of the studio killed/injured in the conflict, the studio chose not to include Russian dubs and iconography throughout the game. For fans of the original games that want the cut content back into the game before an official patch—if it ever comes—the PC versions already received numerous mods on Day One to bring back the Russian dub and censored assets. For more news on the Stalker franchise, read about how the studio’s upcoming sequel expansions will offer “fresh perspectives” on the Zone that players have never seen before. Additionally, read about what was added in the sequel’s massive Patch 1.4 update. Subscribe to our newsletters! By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime. Share

Images: CrytekCrysis was released back in 2007, and it was beautiful, which meant it had pretty high hardware demands – something that players still joke about with the "Can it run Crysis?" meme.Crysis's director and Crytek founder Cevat Yerli explained that the team wanted to "make sure Crysis does not age, that [it] is future proofed, meaning that if I played it three years from now, it should look better than today."If you are curious what was going on at Crytek during the development, you're in luck: Michael Khaimzon, former art director at Crytek, who worked on the game, generously shared some insights that you should hear."The back-stories are almost as crazy as the visuals, so I figured I’d start sharing a few," he said on LinkedIn.The developers, based in Frankfurt, Germany, were tasked to build "the most realistic jungle ever.""What do we know about jungles? We book tickets to Tahiti. The brief is simple: study how a real jungle works and shoot enough photos for textures. ... Ironically, none of the photos we took were usable. In the end we decided to model every single vegetation texture in 3D instead. It sounds insane, but that call ends up driving one of the biggest leaps in real-time graphics. So the trip was essentially useless other than a pack of reference shots."With Crysis, the team wanted to delve into photorealism: "Not “pretty,” not “stylized” – we wanted players to squint and wonder if it was real." Before, Far Cry was lauded for its amazing jungle environments, but for this game, the "trick of hand-painting specular and bump effects straight into textures wasn’t gonna cut it.""At the time, no one used high-poly models for foliage. Leaves were painted, not sculpted. Modeling them sounded insane – until we did it. Suddenly, we had full control over layout, and flawless normal maps where every leaf caught light at its own angle."Another solution that made Crysis look so good was light scattering. The developers simulated the color shifts and shadow plays of leaves, used vertex color and bone rigs to make leaves sway realistically, and did some manual alpha tuning for mipmaps to fix long-distance opacity glitches, "but honestly, the two real breakthroughs were high-poly leaves and subsurface light scattering."Yerli wanted to create "something the world has never seen," so art director Magnus Larbrant provided a concept showing winter in the jungle."As production rolled on, our regular jungles started looking insanely good – photoreal, even by today’s standards. Next to them, the icy levels felt gimmicky, but we’d promised them, so they stayed. ... Sometimes the image that sells the game isn’t the one that defines it. Still, that frozen-jungle concept sparked the entire franchise, so here it is for the history books," Khaimzon explained.What players do remember is the Nanosuit, which, it turns out, "wasn’t even planned until a year into production." Apparently, Delta Force agents were supposed to wear tank-looking supersuits mid-game, but "that didn’t strike a nerve, and Cevat was never satisfied with mediocrity," so the developer tried to focus on "the rubbery muscle structure" from early concepts, but it was not enough, still."And then came the franchise-defining idea: strip away all the armor. Keep the muscles only. Let’s go for a ninja-like figure – black, agile, enhanced. We made our first actual nanosuit... ...but it still didn’t work."The muscles were flat, Khaimzon says, so Crytek asked an external concept artist to look at the suite "with a fresh set of eyes, to take our design and separate each major muscle group as much as possible." This resulted in "the most amazing concepting and modeling feat I’ve ever seen."Crytek's artists created a low-poly model using smoothing groups to separate muscles and then a detailed high-poly sculpt."The Nanosuit was born."In 2004, voxels were all the rage, but they didn't suit the game: "No creature with an IQ over 1 would build a spaceship out of blobs and mush." Playing with the shapes, Crytek loved the organic feel and started looking into blending organic and technological forms, "how to make something that looked alien, but also engineered.""We quickly realized that the key to making it look like advanced technology was in repeating, parallel elements – something that looks artificially crafted."Once that was done, the team focused on zero gravity, which sounds great but demands a lot from developers. Players could get nose-to-nose to textures with zero gravity, but they didn't look good that close; they were "pixely and blurry." "Add detail textures, and they barely helped – they only showed when you were right on top of the surface. Using lots of unique textures wasn’t the answer either – it ate up memory and made the surface look noisy and chaotic from afar."So Crytek invented "one of the most unconventional art pipelines" it'd ever used: designing all alien objects using only tiled textures. The entire 1000-meter alien ship and its interiors were built with a handful of unique textures."Artists had to break objects into clearly defined zones, each mapped with a repeating texture. The structure and flow of the texture became part of the design itself. The real challenge? Creating compelling, alien shapes under such a strict limitation. A huge task."I'd say the developers succeeded in their task, creating a game that will stay with gamers for years to come, thanks to its amazing environments, characters, and mechanics that Crytek worked so hard on making work.Khaimzon has shared 6 parts of this exciting journey, and if you want to know more, follow him on LinkedIn.Also, join our 80 Level Talent platform and our new Discord server, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Telegram, TikTok, and Threads, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.