Dubai (typeface)

Dubai is a sans-serif typeface designed by Dr. Nadine Chahine, a type designer at Monotype, as part of an initiative by Microsoft to create a font that supports both Latin and Arabic scripts with equal visual harmony. It was released as a system font with Microsoft Windows 10 and is available for free use by all users of the operating system.

The typeface is intended to be highly legible and functional across a variety of applications, including body text, headlines, and interface design. The design incorporates contemporary principles of both Arabic and Latin typography, aiming for a balanced and unified aesthetic.

The Dubai typeface family comprises multiple weights, ranging from Light to Black, allowing for flexibility in typographic hierarchy and visual communication. This range of weights ensures suitability for different screen resolutions and print sizes.

Notably, the Dubai font provides a cohesive typographic voice across languages, which is especially important in bilingual or multilingual environments. The consistent visual style across the Latin and Arabic glyphs helps to improve the overall user experience in applications and operating systems.

The decision to make Dubai a freely available system font underscores Microsoft's commitment to linguistic inclusion and accessibility in digital communication. Its widespread availability has contributed to its adoption in various design projects globally, particularly where a modern and clean sans-serif option with strong Arabic support is required.