Bitnation was a blockchain-based project self-described as a “voluntary nation,” founded on 14 July 2014 by Susanne Tarkowski Tempelhof and headquartered in Switzerland.[1] The project recorded vital records, identity, and other legal events through smart contracts on the Ethereum blockchain.[1] As of August 2022, the bitnation.co domain name had been sold, and the project is considered defunct.[1]
Design and History
Bitnation maintained an official branding repository on GitHub, which included logo and branding source files, guidelines, and tutorials.[2] The repository contained a dedicated symbol file, listed as “Bitnation-symbol.png,” uploaded in June 2018.[2] The logo was also distributed as an SVG vector file, available for download in black or white versions depending on the background context.[3]
The project’s visual identity was developed alongside its early operations. A design contest posted on Freelancer.com sought a logo for “bit.nation,” with the brief describing “bit” as representing technology, information, computers, and innovation, while “Nation” was added because the project aimed to build an online community.[4] The contest brief specified that the logo must be “simple, elegant and modern.”[4]
Meaning and Symbolism
No official documentation from Bitnation’s branding guidelines or other primary sources has been located that explains the intended symbolism or meaning of the logo’s abstract symbol. The only documented design intent comes from the original contest brief, which tied the “bit” element to technology and innovation and the “Nation” element to the goal of building an online community.[4]
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