NEST and HiLo on the New Swiss Franc Banknote Series

The Swiss National Bank has unveiled a new banknote series. One of the selected motifs features NEST, the modular research platform of Empa in Dübendorf. On its uppermost platform stands the DFAB HOUSE, realised by the NCCR Digital Fabrication.

On the new 20-franc note, the innovation platform NEST is depicted. Image by SNB

The Lausanne-based graphic design studio Emphase won the competition to redesign the series under the motto ‘Switzerland and its high altitudes’. The reverse sides of the banknotes feature landscapes and buildings that highlight the connections between Switzerland's regions. The 20-franc note represents the Swiss Plateau, where the NEST building designed by Gramazio Kohler Architects stands as a symbol of Swiss innovation and sustainable construction technology tested under real-life conditions.

The National Bank involved the public in the process: the motifs selected were from the cutting-edge research of the NCCR Digital Fabrication, including Tor Alva, the tallest 3D printing building to date.

The new banknotes are not expected to enter circulation before the early 2030s.

Research within the NCCR DFAB is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) based on a government mandate. The SNSF supports scientific research in all academic disciplines – from chemistry to medicine to sociology. Read more here.