Bright Flags: A New Symbol for Europe

The flag shown above was created in 1955 for the Council of Europe, a precursor to the current European Union. The blue is said to represent the west and the number of stars represents completeness, while their position in a circle represents unity. Satisfying, in a classic kind of way. However, a lot has changed in over 50 years. So much so that Foundation Design Den Haag, which has as its mandate exploring the relationship between design and government in Europe within an international context, from cultural, economic and social viewpoints, decided earlier this year to launch a competition inviting designers worldwide to submit ideas for a new symbol for Europe.

The organizers received a rather astonishing response: 1,400 designs, from 63 countries. An international jury recently chose the twelve winning designs, flags of which will be flying from May 31 until June 6 at Hofvijver, The Hague. There are definitely some ingenious designs amongst the winners, although my favorites are in the runner-up category.

Europe - united in diversity
Emilia Palonen, Finland
Embracing unity in diversity, the design invites views and revisioning, instead of offering a fixed model. The set of stars on a blue surface becomes a playground to redesign our visions for Europe. Compiled into one big flag are now those from Sibiu, ECC2007. The doormat symbolises a welcoming Europe; the stars depict hope in a common future. However assembled, together they form our Europe.

Spectrum
Viktor Hertz, Sweden
This is just a simple visualization of all the different colors from the European flags. I wanted to make a fun and colorful spectrum, symbolizing the spectrum of countries and colors.

Join the Stars
Brunno Jahara, Brazil
As the internet connects people in this era, each star is representing a country domain and that makes an irregular but natural position for each member of the EU. There, it becomes a symbol, an arrangement understandable for the members of this community.

Colorprints
Eleni Iliadou, Greece
A symbol that visualizes a new perception for Europe. The diversity in cultures, languages, traditions and believes is representing in this concept trough out the multi colour of this symbol. All these come alive and are joined in the unique shape of a fingerprint.

europespace
charles bignon, spain
This design shows europe territory unity. It is the symbol of the union of diferents states which compose a new one.

EU Sphere
Rachel Graham, United States
Using the original flag colors, I've transformed the design into a modern representation of community. Using yellow to represent members of the EU and white to represent the rest of the world. The EU coincides with the rest of the world and forms a unifying sphere.

Unity in the European Union
Menelaos Vakhou, Cyprus
I tried to create one design for the new symbol of the E.U. with simple and modern details. In a blue background it symbolizes serenity and creativity and the unity that dominates between the member states. The circles that I created differ in the size depending in the population of each country and their placement shows the geographical position of every different country.

Night sky
Matea Topic, Croatia
Yellow stars are the capitals shining on the European Night sky!

Time on Europe
Jonathan Kischkel, Germany
The unification of at least 27 strong and independent partners gives Europe its uniqueness. The flag keeps the symbol of unity by creating a circle from at least 27 but possibly an infinite number of points. They appear to accelerate, referring to Europe's progressiveness and not least to a clock with its twelve hours – the twelve stars, where this motive was developed from.

Symbol and Flag for Europe
Bas Pronk, The Netherlands
What does the the current symbol for the European Union mean? And is this meaning real? Symbolism has to be explained and can be misunderstood. This new symbol (and flag) shows the Member States represented by dots. By counting the dots you know how many members are involved. New Member States can be added in the future. Europe is never finished. Leave the colours, we’re used to it.

United We Shine
Orio Tonini, Netherlands
The 27 states get united becoming one glowing star, a dynamic composition of golden individual stars rotate together at the centre of the blue: together the stars loose their edgy individuality to become a powerful luminous sphere. They all have the same intensity but only as one they reach the full power of brightness.

Europtimism
Youngha Park, South Korea
It is a reinterpretation of the existing flag. I duplicated the twelve stars by rotation and applied the twelve major colors from european countries' flags. The number twelve is traditionally the symbol of perfection, completeness and unity. I look forward to the future of Europe with optimism.

View all 1,400 entries.

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Chris Dickman
Founding Editor, Graphics.com

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