The GRANSHAN Idea

IDEA and HISTORY

In 2008 the Armenian Ministry of Culture founded a national type competition. When the typographic society Munich (tgm) visited Armenia in 2009 a new organisation was born: since 2010 both institutions organize the type contest successfully together. Every year the winning entries of the competition are documented and international presented in an exhibition (e.g. in Alexandria, Moscow, Munich, St. Petersburg).

In 2012 the first GRANSHAN Conference took place in Yerevan (UNESCO World Book Capital 2012) with guests and speakers from all over the world. This conference was focused on the technical challenges by the integration of non-Latin typefaces – and on script systems like Cyrillic, Greek, Arabic, Indian and of course Armenian.
In Armenian the word for script is “Granshan” – the original idea for the GRANSHAN competition comes from Edik Ghabuzyan, who is the leading Armenian type designer. Together with Boris Kochan he is chairman of the type competition and the conceptional force behind the competition and help to coordinate the conferences.

Archive of previous conferences:
2017 – Yerevan, Armenia 2017.granshan.com (currently unavailable)
2016 – Cairo, Egypt 2016.granshan.com (currently unavailable)
2015 – Reading, UK 2015.granshan.com (currently unavailable)
2014 – Munich, Germany 2014.granshan.de (currently unavailable)
2013 – Bangkok, Thailand 2013.granshan.de (currently unavailable)
2012 – Yerevan, Armenia (currently unavailable)

Earlier competitions

Winner 2021/22

See all winners 2021/22
The GRAND PRIZE was awarded to Mamoun Sakkal and Aida Sakkal for their typeface Sakkal Kitab. 

Winner 2019

See all winners: 2019
The GRAND PRIZE was awarded to Lewis McGuffie for his typefaces Columba

Winner 2017

See all winners: 2017
There was no Grand Prize awarded in this year!

Winner 2016

Grand Prize awarded to Jamal Bustan and Dr Mamoun Sakkal (USA) for Bustan typeface. For all winners see: 2016

Winner 2015

Grand Prize awarded to Borna Izadpanah (UK) for Lida typeface.
For all winners see: 2015

Winner 2014

Grand Prize awarded to Kyung-Seok Kwon, Soo-Hyun Park, Sandoll Communications Inc. (Republic of Korea) for Sandoll Myeongjo Neo1 typeface.
For all winners see: 2014

Winner 2013

Grand Prize awarded to Rafael Saraiva (Brazil) for Serendip Sinhala typeface.
For all winners see: 2013

Winner 2012

Grand Prize awarded to Dalton Maag (UK) for all entries of NOKIA PURE (Armenian, Cyrillic, Greek typefaces).
For all winners see: 2012

Winner 2011

Grand Prize awarded to to Alexandra Korolkova (Russia) for Belladonna typeface.
For all winners see: 2011

Winner 2010

Grand Prize awarded to Khajag Apelian (Netherlands) for Arek typeface.
For all winners see: 2010

Winner 2009

For all winners see: 2009

Winner 2008

For all winners see: 2008

Founding Members GRANSHAN E.V.

Kurt Eichner

Founding Member Foundation

Kurt Eichner is a lawyer in Munich and advises the GRANSHAN Foundation in all legal and commercial matters. In addition to his law office, he first led the business of social organizations for many years and today he is responsible for the commercial and administrative activities at KOCHAN & PARTNER as Chief Financial Director.

Edik Ghabuzyan

Initiator GRANSHAN project

Edik Ghabuzyan was the initiator and founder of the international type design competition GRANSHAN and now is the co-head of the organizing committee and jury board of the competition. 

Boris Kochan

President

Boris Kochan is Designer & Publicist, Curator & Consultant. He is founder and CEO of KOCHAN & PARTNER, a branding and design agency in Munich and Berlin. For GRANSHAN he is Co-Chairman of the Competition and President of the GRANSHAN Foundation e.V.

Gerry Leonidas

Script Expert

Gerry Leonidas is an Associate Professor in Typography at the University of Reading, UK. He teaches, supervises, and lectures on typography, typeface design, and typographic education.

Angela Poghosova

Script Chair

Since 2007 she has been a member of the GRANSHAN organizing committee and since 2013 she has been a member of the jury board of Annual International Type Design competition GRANSHAN.

Christina Resch

Founding Member Foundation

Christina Resch is a founding member of GRANSHAN and manages various creative projects: from annual conferences to competitions. Working in the creative industries she overlooks and coordinates the cooperation of a diverse, multi-disciplinary team.

Susanne Zippel

Founding Member Foundation

Susanne Zippel, is a consulter and designer for visual communication. She has lived in Asia for more than a decade and achieved a wide range of insights into Asian art. Since 2015, she is taking part in the GRANSHAN project and is supporting it.

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