marc-andré fauteux turns the all-new nissan micra into a moving canvas

THE SIGNATURE EDITION, FROM OPEN CALL TO PROTOTYPE

Canadian designer Marc-André Fauteux has won ‘Elevate All-New Nissan MICRA: The Signature Edition’, the open international competition Nissan ran with designboom, with a concept that turns the car’s exterior into a moving canvas of asymmetric color and graphic form. The winning design has now been built as a full-scale prototype.

The contest, launched in August 2025, asked designers, artists, and creative thinkers worldwide to reinterpret the visual identity of the all-new MICRA through color, material, and graphic expression, without changing the car’s form. More than 1,000 people entered and eleven finalists were shortlisted. Graphic and interactive designer Marc-André Fauteux, who has worked across visual design for more than two decades, took the top prize.

all images courtesy Nissan

‘organised simplicity’ across the car’s surface

Describing his approach, designer Marc-André Fauteux points to the concept of ‘organised simplicity’, noting a balance between controlled geometric forms and spontaneous visual energy. The design wraps the MICRA in asymmetric graphics that suggest movement even when the car stands still: the prototype pairs a blue body with a yellow front panel and red accents.

The jury selected the concept for its mix of structure, movement, and emotional impact, the same brief designboom and Nissan set at the start, which asked entrants to treat the exterior as a canvas while leaving the body, windows, wheels, and headlamps untouched.

the winning ‘signature edition’ concept turns the all-new Nissan MICRA into a moving canvas

from the screen to sheet metal

For Fauteux, the competition was a chance to bring a graphic designer’s eye to an object people use every day. ‘I saw the competition and instantly thought it was something special,’ he says. ‘I’ve worked in design for many years, including within the automotive world, so the idea of transforming a car into a moving piece of art really excited me.’

He found his starting point in the car itself. ‘The all-new MICRA already has such a playful and expressive personality, which gave me a strong foundation to build from creatively,’ he adds.

What draws him is the idea of art that travels. ‘I love seeing bold and artistic ideas brought into everyday life,’ he says. ‘Putting art in motion through something as everyday as a car makes the experience feel more expressive, creative and human.’

Fauteux’s design pairs a blue body with a yellow front panel and red accents

from concept to prototype

The winning design has been built as a prototype and shown at Nissan Automotive Europe’s offices in Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France. ‘Marc-André’s winning concept captures the expressive design character of the all-new Nissan MICRA in a bold and innovative way,’ says Giovanny Arroba, vice president of Nissan Design Europe. ‘This competition highlights how creative talent can contribute fresh perspectives to automotive design and graphic expression.’

designboom named the finalists and the winner earlier this year, and the project continues a line of open platforms the magazine has built for emerging talent since 1999, here handing an independent designer a global stage and a production-grade car to work on.

the exterior is a moving canvas of asymmetric color and graphic form

Marc-André Fauteux points to the concept of ‘organised simplicity’

the contest asked designers worldwide to reinterpret the visual identity of the all-new MICRA through color

project info:

contest: Elevate All-New Nissan MICRA: The Signature Edition
winning designer: Marc-André Fauteux | @ma.fo.arts
concept: ‘organised simplicity’
partners: Nissan x designboom
launched: August 2025
entries: more than 1,000; eleven finalists
prototype: Nissan Automotive Europe, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France
announced: June 4th, 2026

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