In Turkish language, half of the most frequently used letters (u, l, r, ı, i, n) are narrow and vertical. Narrow letters create legibility problems and vertical strokes result in vertical emphasis on typographic texture. Big counters can create more legible letters. In order to achieve this, increasing the x-height is a common practice. However to prevent ascenders and descenders from being too short, rather than increasing x-height, the letter width was enlarged.

Open apertures also create better legibility and stop characters being mistaken for one another. Abstract terminals are ideal to create open apertures, their horizontal movement prevents letters to be perceived as a closed form. Eye drop forms for terminals can create cramped apertures and identification problems. ATATYPE is designed with abstract terminals in order to create open counters.

In Turkish avarage word length is around 6,2 letters, which is 20 percent more than English. Ascenders and descenders are important for legibility of long words. Big counters can create more legible letters. In order to achieve this, increasing the x-height is a common practice. However to prevent ascenders and descenders from being too short, rather than increasing x-height, the letter width was enlarged.

After the 1st World War there were poor reading conditions all over the world: only small, cheap paper and worn out metal type could be found. In this environment, communication media had to have a clear, direct and strong typographic voice; delicate details were eliminated, the contrast between thin and thick strokes were decreased, big, visible serifs were added. The fonts of this era inspire Atatype.

The Ottoman alphabet was based on the Arabic alphabet and used during the Ottoman Empire to write the Ottoman Turkish Language. It was written with a broad nib pen on paper in cursive style. This writing was a combination of soft strokes and sharp corners. The letter forms of Atatype were designed with the inspiration of this tension and harmony. Some letters of Atatype have more obvious calligraphic emphasis such as the end stroke of the letters n, m and h and the diamond shape dot.

The first written system for Turkish language is found on Orkhon Inscriptions. Being carved on stones, the letters of this system are rigid and simple, similar to Scandinavian Runic or Ancient Greek alphabets, containing only diagonal and straight forms. Similar naive appearance created by the abstract, straight terminals in Atatype is inspired by Orkhon letters. At the same time these abstract terminals give a sturdy and lively character to the letters.