• Ideas

This is What Norway’s Money Will Look Like in 2017

1 minute read
Ideas

This article originally appeared on Lost at E Minor.

Nope, you are not seeing a pixelated image of Norway’s new currency. That is the real deal right there! Last spring, the central bank of Norway, Norges Bank, held a nationwide design competition to replace their look of their currency. Their theme: ‘The Sea.’

Instead of choosing just one winner, they chose two – one design for each side. The front side features a series of artworks from design studio The Metric System, called ‘Norwegian Living Space.’ Beautiful and timeless this front design might be, it doesn’t hold a candle to the attention the back design is getting. The back side features an abstract motif of pixels called ‘Ripple Effects’ by Enzo Finger.

“The obverses from The Metric System are very well suited to the incorporation of necessary security elements. The expression is open, light and typically Nordic,” says Norges Bank. “Using the pixel motifs from Snøhetta Design as the reverse will give the notes both a traditional and a modern expression.”

The bank notes are set to be released in 2017.

(via Visual News)

Livsrommet 50 front
Norges Bank
Snohetta 50 back
Norges Bank
Livsrommet 100 front
Norges Bank
Snohetta 100 back
Norges Bank
Livsrommet 200 front
Norges Bank
Snohetta 200 back
Norges Bank
Livsrommet 500 front
Norges Bank
Snohetta 500 back
Norges Bank
Livsrommet 1000 front
Norges Bank
Snohetta 1000 back
Norges Bank

More Must-Reads From TIME

Contact us at letters@time.com

TIME Ideas hosts the world's leading voices, providing commentary on events in news, society, and culture. We welcome outside contributions. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of TIME editors.