Scientific Redesign Of American Banknotes

Of the 53 people who have appeared on the banknotes of the United States, 52 of them have been white, one of them hasn't (Running Antelope, chief of the Hunkpapa) and they've all been dead. Which seems a bit... one sided?

Were the US to consider a fresh new look for their infamous green bills, we'd pin our hopes to the redesigns of one Travis Purrington. An American-born student of the Basel School of Design in Switzerland, Purrington's thesis project saw him reconsider the currency's design to better represent "the advancements and culture within the American society".

Far from looking to trivialise the past or the individuals who have helped shape the nation of the USA, Purrington was inspired by the Swiss Franc's redesign process, which sees the currency redesigned every 20 years by way of contest. Playing on the themes of human discovery and achievement, Purrington's clean notes match scientific accomplishments with scenes from American culture. 

And no - there are no more confusing pyramids with eyes. You can see more of Purrington's amazing work on his website. 

(Images: Travis Purrington, CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

[Via:Design Boom]