guttertype

Guttertype is a term used in typography and page layout to describe practices that engage the gutter—the inner margin between facing pages or the narrow space within a page near the binding. It can refer to typography or layout decisions that treat the gutter as an active design element rather than a passive margin.

In practice, guttertype manifests in two main forms. First, in multi-column layouts or magazines, designers may place running heads, page numbers, or brief captions in the gutter so they remain unobtrusive but readable after binding. Second, in single-column books, type designers may adjust inner-margin metrics to prevent letters from appearing crowded near the binding, often by increasing the gutter margin, slightly reducing font size toward the gutter, or tuning tracking near the gutter.

Design considerations include ensuring sufficient clearance to avoid ink creep or crowding when the book is bound, preventing collision with the binding, and maintaining visual balance across opening spreads. Guttertype decisions can affect readability, pagination, and the perceived density of the text.

Usage history and status: the concept arises from traditional binding practices where the gutter reduces usable page width. While not a formally codified term in major style guides, guttertype appears in design literature and practitioner discussions as a shorthand for strategies that treat the gutter as an operative part of typography, shaping how content is perceived and read when the pages are bound.