François Girard-Meunier (currently tutor in coding in the Graphic Design department) and Amsterdam-based graphic designer Rudy Guedj have been selected by the European Central Bank as one of the ten winning proposals for the new Euro banknotes through a design contest held last year.
The design
Developed around the theme “Rivers and Birds”, their series explores European biodiversity through six bird species and their habitats, while connecting them across the denominations through a continuous river. The reverse side focuses on six European institutions, represented through a visual system that reflects their interdependence and complementary roles within the European Union.
"We sought to visualise the journey of the birds featured in the series through a contemporary, vibrant style, combining composition, colour and symbolic use of light. The vertical orientation translates the varying altitudes of the six bird habitats, while water flows continuously across the banknotes, connecting the denominations into one river. Birds appear at rest or in flight, cutting through the light.
Abstracted landscapes invite contemplation, with bird-related information embedded in the security features. The user becomes a ”bird watcher“, following traces of each bird’s presence through sound, movement and footprints. The complexity of banknote production is embraced through the interplay of printing techniques and layered security features, creating a visually hopeful and richly detailed series in which functionality remains fundamental to the design."
Your vote counts towards the winning design
The ten selected proposals are now being presented to the public in the form of a public survey until 21 September 2026, which will contribute to the selection of the final design series. The new euro banknotes are expected to enter circulation after the completion of the ECB’s design and production process.