The neighbourhood of Salt River in Cape Town was one of the few areas that remained unaffected by the Group Areas Act during apartheid. Therefore, the current crisis of gentrification in the area that is forcibly removing families from their homes is both ironic and tragic. The ever-increasing rent instituted by private investors means that families who are unable to afford the heightened cost of living are forced out of their homes, resulting in modern-day spatial apartheid.

Final Notice is an experimental typeface crafted to embody the way gentrification is taking over Salt River. Its bold and sharp letterforms draw inspiration from the rigid, impersonal architecture of corporate buildings, which are overriding the neighbourhood. The elasticity merged into the type is designed to convey the brutal nature of uprooting a family from their home, which they had no intention of leaving.

This typeface mirrors the disorienting experience of displacement, forcing viewers to grapple with the harsh reality it represents. Each letterform is intentionally designed to be challenging to read, reflecting the difficulty faced by those affected by the gentrification in the area. The type serves as a metaphor for the emotional and physical toll of being uprooted, demanding that the reader slow down and engage deeply with the message, just as the displaced families must navigate their unsettling new realities.

By juxtaposing the elements of elasticity with the stark, modern structure of the type, Final Notice also highlights the tension between the past and the present in the context of South Africa’s apartheid history. This choice in design emphasises the urgent need for discourse that advocates for respect and protection of the identity of Salt River, while questioning the relentless push towards homogenisation and erasure of generational history of the neighbourhood’s original inhabitants. Thus, Final Notice serves as both a protest and tribute, as well as a visual reminder of the continuous struggle to maintain accessible living conditions for previously disadvantaged residents in Cape Town, in the face of corporate greed.