Plantae used for signage on Governors Island, shown here with a custom “O” made for the project. Sign designed by Neil Donnelly Studio, 2022.

Article by Mona Jones
July 14, 2024

Plantae: A Quiet Dialogue Between Structure and Nature
Design, at its best, has the power to connect disparate worlds, and Jun Lin’s typeface Plantae is a quiet embodiment of this belief. The type project started around 2020 and has continued to evolve over the following years, balancing the geometric precision of human creation with the organic unpredictability of nature. Plantae exists as a visual meditation on harmony.
The origins of Plantae lie in Jun’s fascination with patterns found in the natural world. The spiral of a leaf, the curve of a branch—these forms suggest both order and chaos, a duality that guided the design of the typeface. With clean, structured lines softened by idiosyncratic details, Plantae feels alive, breathing within the spaces it inhabits. It is a versatile typeface that doesn’t impose itself; instead, it adapts, shaping its presence to suit its context.
On Governors Island, Plantae’s characters weave into the environment, enhancing the signage for an art installation without overpowering it. Elsewhere, such as on a wine label in 2023, the typeface lends elegance and warmth, giving the product a friendly feel. These applications underscore the adaptability that defines Jun’s work—her ability to design for the world as it is while hinting at what it could be.

The development of Plantae mirrors Jun’s own journey as a designer. Growing up in Taiwan, she was surrounded by a culture steeped in craftsmanship and storytelling, where objects were made with intention, and visuals were infused with meaning. This sensitivity to narrative has carried through her career, particularly in projects like her award-winning (Communication Arts Typography Annual 2023) book cover for Reclaiming Reality: On the Historical Formation of Tawianese Photography, published by Voices of Photography, which brought together traditional Hanzi and print production techniques to tell a story. Yet, it is in Plantae that this narrative finds its clearest expression: a story of coexistence, where structure and emotion, nature and design, speak as one.
Plantae’s understated elegance reflects a broader philosophy that runs through all of Jun’s work. In a field often dominated by spectacle, she embraces subtlety and care. Her designs are not meant to shout but to invite—to create quiet moments of connection that resonate beyond their immediate function.
This philosophy extends beyond typography. Whether illustrating environmental issues through visuals for Bloomberg Green (Fall/Winter 2023) or supporting design and social practice through her design work for Deem, Jun approaches each project with the same question: How can design foster understanding? Plantae offers one answer, proving that even the most structured forms can leave room for nature, humanity, and emotion.
In a world increasingly preoccupied with the bold and the new, Plantae stands as a gentle reminder of the enduring power of thoughtful design. It is not simply a typeface but a testament to the idea that in the right hands, design can be both a reflection of what is and an invitation to imagine what might be.