When Geneva-based studio RETINAA was tapped to redesign Swiss passports in 2017, they understood that one element had to remain constant: the passport’s distinctive, bright red color, which has been a staple of the travel document since 1959. RETINAA’s redesign certainly dons this colorway, but it also incorporates other innovative features that showcase Switzerland’s renowned heritage and landscape.
Even without flipping through its pages, the passport perfectly communicates the Swiss preference for simplicity, precision, and elegance in graphic design. Its cover boasts 3D-modeled reliefs that trace Switzerland’s towering Alpine peaks and its spectacular valleys, consolidating the country’s singular topography into one sleek, minimalist image. Custom typography by Swiss Typefaces also decorates the cover, further promoting Switzerland’s graphic tradition.
The passport’s interior is equally remarkable, drawing upon Switzerland’s reputation as Europe’s “water tower.” With its 1,500 lakes, numerous glaciers, and countless rivers and streams, Switzerland constitutes 6% of Europe’s total drinking water volume, while reserves produce climate-friendly energy, accounting for 56% of the country’s overall electricity production. Water serves as one of the passport’s narrative threads, reflected in a hydrological map printed on its inner cover.
The passport’s pages, too, transition between various gradients inspired by Swiss landscapes, with icy hues representative of glacial waters, while earthy tones celebrate its rolling hills. These pages also reimagine cartographic imagery, resembling maps of complex landscapes as seen from above.
As with any important personal document, the passport had to be protected against counterfeiting. RETINAA managed to merge security features and graphic design, with passport visuals transforming under ultraviolet light. When exposed to UV light, hidden details such as cultural landmarks, waterways, and topographic layers emerge throughout the passport’s pages. Its cover also reacts, revealing Switzerland’s emblematic “plus” symbol that appears on its national flag. These effects are achieved through a combination of intaglio printing, microtext, and UV-reactive inks, thus preventing the passport from being easily replicated.
“The Swiss passport is more than a formal administrative document,” RETINAA writes of its redesign, which was finally released in 2022. “It is a celebration of Swissness and a showcase of technological know-how.”
To learn more about their Swiss passport redesign, visit the RETINAA website.
Geneva-based studio RETINAA released its redesign for Switzerland’s official passport, which brilliantly celebrates the country’s heritage, landscape, and design.
The RETINAA passport boasts sleek images of Switzerland’s unique topography, alongside hydrological maps and cultural landmarks.
The new Swiss passport is also outfitted with state-of-the-art security features, all of which double as design elements when exposed to UV light.
All images via RETINAA.
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