‘Save’ separation toilet by Laufen wins Wallpaper* Design Award for Life-Enhancer of the Year

‘Save’ separation toilet, by Laufen, EOOS and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

The ‘Save’ toilet features a game-changing urine separation system that could revolutionise the sanitation industry. Presented as the official Austrian contribution to the XXII Triennale di Milano, the ‘Save' toilet was designed by EOOS, with a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the system is surprisingly low tech. A simple curve in the base of the ceramic toilet bowl siphons off urine towards a concealed outlet using only water tension. Not only could the urine trap remove the excessive toxins from urban waste water that currently pollute coastal areas, but it could also provide an opportunity for collected urine to be specially treated and put to good use. The nutrients present in urine, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, can be extracted and used to produce a fertiliser suitable for use on all plants. 

KEY FEATURES: A low-tech toilet that traps urine to remove polluting toxins from sewage laufen.com; eoos.com; gatesfoundation.org

‘DD-2’ scent, by Dinesen and Sissel Tolaas

‘DD-2’ scent, by Dinesen and Sissel Tolaas

Seeking to capture the beautiful complexity of its Douglas fir planks in a scent, Danish timber flooring brand Dinesen teamed up with artist and olfactory researcher Sissel Tolaas. Equipped with special recording gear, she visited the Black Forest in Germany and Dinesen’s main production site in Jels, in southern Denmark; the scents she collected on her travels were first registered as data before being converted to an archive of recorded molecules, known as ‘DD-1’. From here, Tolaas isolated certain molecules that stirred the senses. The result is ‘DD-2’, Dinesen’s signature scent, which blends the freshness of a newly cut Douglas tree with the dryness of a sawmill, and aims to evoke the calm feeling of walking barefoot on Dinesen Douglas planks.

KEY FEATURES: A custom-made scent evoking the smell of Danish floor brand Dinesen’s Douglas fir planks
dinesen.com

‘On & On’ chair, by Barber & Osgerby, for Emeco

‘On & On’ chair, by Barber & Osgerby, for Emeco

When Barber & Osgerby was invited to design a plastic café chair for US brand Emeco, the much-maligned material became the starting point for the entire design process. The ‘On & On’ chair is made from a strong, super-lightweight, endlessly recyclable plastic that was more than a decade in the making. Its make-up is 70 per cent rPET (waste plastic bottles that would otherwise end up in landfill), 20 per cent glass fibre for strength and ten per cent non-toxic pigment. Barber & Osgerby’s injection-moulded design makes elegant use of the material. Its circular form allows it to be stacked in spiralling towers, while a discreet crossbar, hidden under the seat, ensures it’s strong enough to withstand the rigours of everyday use.

KEY FEATURES: A discreet, elegant, recyclable plastic chair that is stackable, strong yet light, and available in six colours
barberosgerby.com; emeco.net

‘Pocket’ handheld console, by Analogue

Created by US-tech company Analogue, ‘Pocket’ is a reimagining of a vintage handheld gaming device and can be used to play the entire library of 2,780-plus games produced for the 1989 Game Boy and its successors (Game Boy Colour and Game Boy Advance). You’ll find no digital downloads here (it exclusively runs vintage games cartridges), but with a refreshed, minimalist look, it stands up to contemporary gaming requirements with impressive technology, including a high-definition display, stereo speakers, a USB-C rechargeable lithium ion battery and fully mappable buttons. For musicians, there is also an on-board digital audio workstation called Nanoloop, which comes pre-loaded with a quirky synthesiser and sequencer.

KEY FEATURES: A handheld gaming device that plays vintage games but has a slick, minimalist design and advanced onboard technology
analogue.co

Surfboards, by Katharina Grosse, for Parley for the Oceans

German artist Katharina Grosse is known for her mammoth paintings that cover entire landscapes, buildings and interior structures, but her latest project– a series of 20 individually painted surfboards – sees her canvas downsized though just as impactful. Made in collaboration with environmental organisation Parley for the Oceans, the boards are constructed from sustainably sourced, laminated paulownia wood and spray-painted by Grosse in energetic hues that collide and overlap like ocean waves. The wooden design is intended to reduce foam, resin and fibreglass use. All proceeds go to Parley’s Global Cleanup Network, an alliance taking direct action against marine plastic pollution.

KEY FEATURES: A series of 20 surfboards, made from sustainably sourced paulownia wood and individually painted by artist Katharina Grosse
katharinagrosse.com; parley.tv