TELEGRAM DESIGN CONTEST
A contest entry for Telegram’s $75,500 competition, open to designers worldwide
task
Design a Telegram Nodes concept from scratch in 2 weeks while preserving familiar Telegram interface patterns. The concept had to feel native and visually polished while remaining intuitive for users.
Nodes are separate spaces inside the app that help users organize and divide communication, from personal conversations to work processes. They are not just chat folders or topic groups, but full spaces similar to Discord servers or Slack workspaces.
Nodes can contain different types of chats, including voice and video chats, plus advanced administration settings and user roles.
People who join Telegram Nodes can set a separate name, profile photo, and bio that differ from their main account. They can then switch between Nodes and the main Telegram inbox through the left menu, which also shows their other connected Telegram accounts.
requirements
- Clarity and usefulness are essential — everything should be immediately understandable, with no room for confusion.
- Features should be designed to an implementation-ready level.
- Both user-facing and administrative scenarios must be considered.
- Nodes need a clear entry point and convenient management.
- Both light and dark themes are required.
- A complete set of mockups for both platforms: iOS and Android.
- A demo video for one platform, matching the format of demos published on the Telegram blog.
- Winner Place :)
architecture
Even though Nodes are much more than a channel or group chat, I proposed integrating them into the main chat list. To make Nodes distinguishable at a glance, I created a feature identity: a logo, an avatar mask, and a badge with the Node profile name.
- 1Node logo
- 2Node mask
- 3Profile tag
Inside, a Node looks like the regular chat list with modified controls. It supports chat folders, pinned chats, and even search within the Node.
The familiar tab bar is replaced with a pill containing the Node profile name and photo. A nearby controls button lets admins create a chat or edit the chat list.
profile
I decided to make Node profiles a layer over the main account. It works much like Telegram’s existing appearance customization.
Communication between people inside a Node still happens through the same private chats. You interact with the same account you may already have a ten-year message history with.
It is convenient, but removes the option to anonymize the real account — which can be both an advantage and a drawback.
roles
I spent a significant share of the project on role management. I designed the system to be as flexible as possible without sacrificing usability:
- Multiple entry points to role settings and management
- Role permission overrides for individual channels and chats
- Exception users can be added to every role
This system works for every major type of Node:
- Small (up to 10 chats, 3–15 people): users may never need role settings; the default hierarchy mirrors a group chat exactly (the creator is an admin, members can enter every chat but cannot manage them)
- Corporate
- Media giants
- Even, theoretically, Nodes for entire countries 🤪
voice channel
Alongside Nodes, Telegram would gain a new entity — always-on voice rooms, similar to Discord voice rooms.
I adapted Telegram’s existing call functionality and designed the principles and rules for how it works inside a Node. The result preserves Telegram’s characteristic elegance and simplicity.
result
Won 3rd place (there was no 1st place, lol). $2,000 and lots of respect.
All mockups are collected below for easy browsing. Other participants’ entries.
thanks for watching
If you have a question, idea, suggestion, or an overwhelming urge to chat, message me on Telegram Copied!