Humanrace by Pharrell Williams is gender-neutral skincare in reusable packaging

American music producer Pharrell Williams has founded Humanrace, a universal skincare range that comes in reusable packaging made from recycled plastic from landfills.

Humanrace comprises three products designed to be used in succession as a simple skincare routine.

Its Rice Powder Cleanser, Lotus Enzyme Exfoliator and Humidifying Cream come in matching bright green plastic containers made from 50 per cent recycled plastic.

Pharrell Williams has founded skincare brand Humanrace

One, two or three white dots on the green packaging provide a quick visual reference for the order in which the facial routine should be performed.

To make the products more accessible, the permanent containers also have the product names written on them in braille, the tactile writing system for blind and partially-sighted people.

These green containers are designed to be a one-time purchase, after which refills are available in paper cartons. The refill containers, which are styled to look like prescription bottles, are printed with vegetable dyes and a water-based coating to make them easy to recycle afterwards.

Rice Powder Cleanser is the first step in the routine

The recovered material used for the green containers is termed post-consumer waste plastic, and is recovered from landfill sites close to the Humanrace manufacturing plant.

Discarded plastic is cleaned and sterilised before being sorted and crushed into flakes. The flakes are washed and dried before being sorted again and blended for melt extrusion – the process of applying heat and friction to turn the flakes into a molten polymer ready to be turned into the new packaging.

Step two is the Lotus Enzyme Exfoliator

Humanrace skincare products are vegan, fragrance-free and designed to be suitable for all skin types.

"My most favourite place to be is on the precipice of what doesn't exist," Williams said about Humanrace.

"Imagining what it can be and then working with an amazing team of architects to reverse engineer and build that thing that didn't exist before."

Humidifying Cream is the third step in Pharrell's three-minute facial

This is far from Williams' first foray into design. Earlier this year he collaborated with design studio Pentatonic to make Pebble, a portable cutlery set made from recycled CDs. He has also championed denim made from plastic recovered from the ocean in a collection for fashion brand G-Star Raw.

The musician and entrepreneur has also moved into architecture, designing a two-tower residential development in Toronto that will feature an indoor waterfall.

More sustainable toiletries include By Humankind's rehydrating mouthwash refill system and Myro's refillable deodorant pods.

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One month left to enter Dezeen and LG Display's €46,000 OLEDs Go! competition

There is just one month left to enter Dezeen and LG Display's OLEDS Go! competition seeking innovative designs that showcase OLED technology in new ways.

The contest, which challenges contestants to create beautiful designs that make innovative use of OLED technology, closes for entries on 15 January 2021.

Find out how to enter here.

Competition seeks designs that showcase the possibilities of OLED

A collaboration between LG Display and Dezeen, the competition is free to enter for anyone over the age of 18 in any country around the world, with prize money totalling €46,000.

Contestants are free to design any kind of product that incorporates OLED display technology. OLED stands for organic light-emitting diode, and is used in lighting and for digital displays on products such as televisions and smartphones.

Whether used in lighting or for displays, one of the main benefits of OLED technology is that the panels are extremely light and thin.

The contest is seeking beautiful designs that make use of OLED technology in innovative ways to solve problems or enhance people's lives.

Designs should elevate the technology to create useful and desirable products. Entrants should consider who their product is designed for and how it will fit in with and enhance their lifestyle.

Full details of how to enter the competition are included in the competition brief and rules.

€15,000 prize for the winner

Competition entries will be judged by a jury comprising Dezeen editors and LG Display executives and designers, who will select the shortlist, finalists and determine the overall winner.

The shortlist will be published on Dezeen in March 2021, with the finalists revealed in April 2021 and the winner announced in May 2021.

The winner will receive a top prize of €15,000 and the runner up will receive €10,000, while the remaining three finalists will receive €7,000 each.

Competition closes on 15 January 2021

The OLEDs Go! competition closes for entries at 23:59 GMT on 15 January 2021.

For more information about how to enter, including the full brief and rules, visit www.dezeen.com/oledsgo.

The top illustration is by Sam Peet.

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Nendo designs smartphone that folds down "like an inchworm" to the size of a credit card

Japanese studio Nendo has designed a sliding-phone concept that can be folded down three times to the size of a credit card for smart device manufacturer OPPO.

The Slide-Phone concept has seven hinges that allow the full size phone to fold down three times in the same direction into a 54-millimetre-by 86-millimetre device.

Nendo has designed a sliding-phone concept for OPPO

Described by Nendo as moving "like an inchworm", the phone folds out section by section in a sliding formation, with each hinge acting as the bending back of the inchworm.

The user simply slides the OLED screen up with their thumb to reveal parts of the touchscreen beneath.

For instance, sliding one fold up opens up 40 millimetres of the screen to allow users to see the time, look at their call history, notifications or work play music.

The Slide-Phone can be folded down to the size of a credit card

"Among foldable smartphones with OLED panel monitors developed in recent years, most follow the trend of folding to the size of a standard smartphone and unfolding to a screen two or three times as big," Nendo explained.

"By using the folding technology, portability was enhanced exploiting the compactness for a new sense of functionality instead of the screen being enlarged," it continued.

"Like an inchworm, the phone makes use of its multiple joints to in effect slide sideways, and can be transformed only by the user's one-thumb operation."

"The design opens up new possibilities for smartphones, for their use not only while fully folded or opened but while partially unfolded or while bent," added Nendo.

The user can slide the screen up with their thumb to reveal sections of the touchscreen

Sliding the second fold reveals 80 millimetres of the screen and allows the user to make use of the camera, which will have moved to the top of the device.

As the camera would be facing the user, it is best positioned for taking selfies or for video calls.

The phone is seven-inches long when fully unfolded

Lastly, unfolding the rest of the phone reveals a thin, seven-inch touchscreen. When positioned horizontally, each side of the screen turns into a operating panel with touchscreen buttons.

In "game mode" these panels can be used as controllers, while in "multitask mode" several apps are displayed in rows and the user can also take photographs in panorama.

The phone would come with a stylus for making notes on the touchscreen

When the phone is folded down, two circular buttons feature on each side of the device. When the phone is folded out to its full size, these two circular buttons become four semicircular ones.

There is also a slot in the side of the phone for a stylus, which can be taken out and used like a pen on the touchscreen.

Nendo wanted the phone to feel like a book or notepad, with the action of retracting and extending the screen being like "flipping the page".

The folding phone concept comes in different colours

Each of the hinges are covered with suede leather to give the phone a more natural feel, while the exterior is coloured in "calming tones" of black, silver, sage green and brick red that were chosen to complement the suede.

Nendo has also designed a wireless charger for the phone, which has a cuboid-like shape with a cut-out in its centre that the phone slots in to.

The charger has an integrated stand that can be angled to match the hinged mechanism of the folding phone.

Nendo designed an accompanying charger for the Slide-Phone

Nendo's Slide-Phone concept design for the smart device manufacturer comes just a few weeks after OPPO revealed a smartphone concept called the X 2021, which expands by rolling out its screen on a miniature conveyor belt.

The OLED screen grows from 17 centimetres to 18.7 centimetres at the slide of a button.

Nendo also designed a mobile accessory collection for OPPO

Alongside the sliding and folding phone, the Japanese studio has also designed a mobile accessory collection for OPPO called Mobile-Link, which includes wireless earbuds, a smartwatch, an AI speaker, a portable charger, and a wireless charger.

The earbuds are the focus of the collection. Designed with portability in mind, the two earbuds are both shaped like the letter C and are able to be clicked together to form a doughnut shape.

A dedicated neck strap can be fed through the hole at the centre of the two attached earbuds, allowing the wearer to wear them like a necklace.

The accessory collection includes a pair of wireless earbuds

Each item in the accessory range has been designed around the earbuds, with the circular shape that they make when locked together being echoed throughout the collection.

When the two earbuds can be clicked into the smartwatch, the charging case and the AI speaker to connect to each device. Music that was being listened to through the earphones via a smartphone can be heard through the speaker by attaching the buds.

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Muji's Christmas gift guide features stocking fillers and design classics

Dezeen has teamed up with Japanese lifestyle brand Muji to put together a Christmas gift guide for the design-conscious, featuring an architectural toy set and a range of super-minimal desk tidies.

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City in a Bag

Aspiring architects might enjoy this wooden toy set featuring a mix of building-shaped blocks.

You can create your own mini version of Tokyo, or combine several sets to create a design for a new metropolis.

Shop now from Muji ›

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Christmas Tin Candles

A great stocking filler, Muji's candles are packaged up in simple metal tins and offer a range of distinctive fragrances.

There's a signature Christmas scent on offer, containing a zesty mix of orange, cherry, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and vanilla. Other flavours include Gold and Myrrh, and Mistletoe.

Shop now from Muji ›

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Aroma Diffusers

Muji's minimal aroma diffuser is one of the brand's bestselling designs, and for good reason. It uses uses ultrasonic waves to vaporise water and essential oils, turning them into a calming scented mist.

Available in a range of sizes, the diffuser is the ideal gift for someone in need of relaxation.

Shop now from Muji ›

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Christmas Essential Oils

Muji has expanded its range of essential oils for the festive season.

There's a Winter Spice blend, combining ginger, cinnamon, aniseed and clove bud. There's also a Christmas Tree blend, which comes in a set of two alongside a sweet orange scent. They make perfect partners for the aroma diffuser.

Shop now from Muji ›

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Winter Accessories

Muji offers a range of hats, scarves and gloves to suit all ages. Highlights from the collection include cabe-knit beanies, patterned ear muffs and gloves that work with touchscreen devices.

Shop now from Muji ›

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Slippers and Room Shoes

Slippers are an old Christmas favourite, but Muji's modern designs can make great gifts for all.

As well as classic slip-ons, the range includes room shoes and boots, lined with wool or fleece.

Shop now from Muji ›

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Seamless Flannel Pyjamas

Muji's pyjamas are made from warm-feeling cotton flannel, without any side seams or tags, to ensure full comfort while sleeping.

They are available in a range of adult and children's sizes in various colours and patterns, so there's a design here for everyone.

Shop now from Muji ›

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Beech Tableware

These Japanese-style wooden utensils look just as good on display as they do on the dinner table.

Muji offers a wide range of styles and sizes, so you can easily mix and match different sets. Each piece is made from Siebold Beech wood, with an emphasis on clean lines.

Shop now from Muji ›

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Wall Mounted CD Player and Radio

It has been 20 years since Japanese designer Naoto Fukasawa first unveiled this wall-mounted CD player. And while technology has moved on since then, the product still looks just as ground-breaking as it did back then.

Now also integrating an FM radio, it's well suited to those with a love for retro.

Shop now from Muji ›

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Acrylic Boxes

Simple but effective, this assorted collection of storage boxes can be used to tidy up a desk, dressing table or closet.

The boxes are made from transparent acrylic so you can easily see their contents. Some are modular and stackable, meaning they can be arranged in all kinds of multi-level configurations.

Shop now from Muji ›

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Magnetic Photo Frames

Sharing photographs at Christmas is made easy with these minimal frames, available in various sizes.

The frames are made from see-through acrylic and are free from decoration, ensuring the focus is on the picture rather than the frame.

Shop now from Muji ›

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Cotton Flannel Bed Linen

For ultimate comfort, Muji's bedding is made from the same cotton fabric used to produce its flannel shirts. This gives duvet covers, pillow covers and bedsheets a natural elasticity and softness.

Shop now from Muji ›

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Majamaja is an off-grid seaside cabin near Helsinki

Architect Pekka Littow has used Finnish spruce and birch plywood for off-grid holiday home Majamaja, which is perched on a rocky outcrop by the sea just outside of Helsinki.

Majamaja will eventually be a cluster of five cabins, one of which has already been completed, and a sauna that will be available for eco-friendly overnight stays.

The cabin has its own solar panels

Made from black painted native spruce, the cabin operates off the main electricity grid, with solar panels on the roof to provide electricity.

The simple gabled cabin is accessed by a narrow wooden deck that forms a bridge over the rocks between the end of the forest and the door.

The off-grid retreat overlooks the sea

Another door opens on to a wooden deck facing the sea. A wide window has unobstructed views of the landscape.

Inside are a kitchen area and bathroom with a shower and dry toilet. Space-saving furniture folds down from the wall when needed to maximise the use of space in a minimal set-up. Birch plywood doors can be used to hide the kitchenette from view.

Doors can close to hide the compact kitchen

As well as solar panels for electricity, the cabin has a closed-loop water system to minimise water waste from the shower and sink.

"The purpose of Majamaja is to show how small-scale architecture, combined with green technology, can compensate for big volumes and centralised on-grid systems," said Pekka Littow.

"Majamaja offers dwellers an opportunity to disconnect from daily routines and an educational eco-living experience, yet close to the hustle and bustle of the city."

Windows and a door open on to the deck

Located in Vuorilahdenniemi, the cabins are just a 30-minute bike ride from the centre of the Finnish capital.

Helsinki is set on a peninsula and surrounded by the sea on three sides and there are 330 islands in its archipelago. Majamaja is part of the City of Helsinki's Maritime Strategy 2030, which aims to invest in making the island chain a popular tourist destination while preserving the natural environment over the next decade.

Majamaja is just 30 minutes from the middle of Helsinki

Last year, Helsinki launched an app called Think Sustainably that serves as an environmentally conscious city guide for residents and tourists alike.

More off-grid cabin designs for islands include an artist's retreat in an ancient olive grove in Mallorca and a holiday home on an island off of Tasmania that features an outdoor deck with a sunken bath.

Photography is by Marc Goodwin.

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