Norway recently revealed the first iteration of its ongoing banknote redesign and we must say that we were thrilled. Norges Bank had set up a competition to decide on the first stage designs for the new currency in Spring 2014, but only now had two studios been selected as those whose concepts would set the basis for the final look. The obverse design will stem from the beautiful work of The Metric System and Terje Tønnesen, entitled Norwegian Living Space and depicting many traditional Nordic elements. The reverse aesthetic, on the other hand, will be based on work done by Snøhetta Design; the series, entitled Beauty of Boundaries, adds a touch of modernism to the future banknotes’ beauty.

Norges Bank

We were fortunate enough to exchange some of our questions with Trond Eklund, Director of the Cashier’s Department at Norges Bank, attempting to uncover some of the reasoning behind the banknote’s overhaul, the value of the themes and subthemes selected, and what currency design symbolizes in the overarching branding of a nation.

Brandingmag: How has the role of the banknote in national branding evolved over the years?

Trond Eklund: Production and printing techniques have steadily evolved, providing new opportunities for the design of banknotes. Likewise, development in printing techniques demands continuous updating of security features. This has prompted a redesign of Norwegian banknotes approximately every 20 years. The seven previous editions (from 1877 to present day notes in circulation) all reflect the time in which they were created, both their national context and in relation to contemporary banknote series from other central banks.

All seven previous banknote series have featured portraits as the main motif, but there has not been any overarching theme to connect the portraits of a single series. For the upcoming series, Norges Bank has sought to find a theme that runs through the banknote denominations – thus conveying a common story through the various designs of the individual notes in the series. The theme will be reflected both on the obverse and reverse face of the notes, breaking with the tradition of portraiture. As such, the new banknote series is intended to function more as a calling card, showcasing central aspects of Norwegian national identity, than previous banknote series.

designing currency image 1

Snøhetta Design

Once we had spoken to Norges Bank and heard how influential such a design process can be, we knew we had to reach out to the design studios and hear what the experience had been like for them. We were curious as to their perception of the theme proposed and how they went about balancing creativity and innovation with the high-caliber brand and influential project that their work was intended for. That’s where Snøhetta Design came in. Martin Haakon Gran, Managing Director and Partner at the studio, proceeded to answer all of our questions and give us a taste of the thought processes involved when designing for your country – literally.

Brandingmag: What were some of the major influences in the aesthetic of the banknotes, including colors and illustrations?

Martin Haakon Gran: We were influenced by mosaic – the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces. We liked the fact that the earliest known examples of mosaics were found at a temple building in Abra, Mesopotamia, and are dated long before BC and the other fact that most pictures that we are exposed to today are made up of tiny digital pixels. We found this juxtaposition to be very suitable for the design – and a strong expression of our concept. And you could say it’s a manifestation of the past and the present.

BM: What differentiated this branding from some of the others that you have worked on?

MHG: We couldn’t think of any other design project that shifts hands more than this one, so it’s a very social project. It also has a very strong impact on everyone’s lives, regardless that the canvas is very small. And, we have never been involved in any design projects where following the security measures was paramount.

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