Design G is the only Spanish entry in the shortlist, and the only one submitted jointly by two studios. It is also the proposal with the deepest banknote pedigree behind it.
| Design letter | G |
|---|---|
| Theme | European culture |
| Designer | Rubio & del Amo and Cruz más Cruz |
| Based in | Murcia and Madrid, Spain |
Design G — Rubio & del Amo and Cruz más Cruz. Complete family of six denominations, fronts and reverses. Design proposal only: it does not show an issued or approved euro banknote.
Who they are
Rubio & del Amo is a brand identity, editorial and packaging studio founded in Murcia in 2014 by its creative directors Guillermo Rubio and Julián Garnés. Cruz más Cruz is a multidisciplinary design and architecture practice in Madrid, founded by José María Cruz Novillo — winner of Spain’s National Design Prize and the designer of the peseta series that circulated from the early 1980s — and directed by his son Pepe Cruz.
The two studios had already worked together on the visual identity of the Spanish Space Agency, so the euro entry was a continuation of an existing partnership rather than a one-off alliance.
What the proposal shows
Each note is built around a single central gaze: the portrait looks straight out at the holder. A distinct colour runs through each denomination, and a linear pattern organises the field behind the figure.
The structural idea sits in that pattern. Vertical forms are derived from the letters E, U, R and O, and resolve into the word EURO when the note is rotated — a hidden ordering device rather than an ornament. The ECB’s jury described the family as innovative and unconventional, with strong differentiation between denominations.
Where it sits in the process
Published on 23 July 2026 among the ten shortlisted families, Design G went to a public survey that closed on 21 September. The final selection is expected from the ECB Governing Council around the end of 2026; the published plates remain proposals throughout.
