These are the 397 most inspiring, innovative designs of 2018

Honorable Mention:Apps and Games

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NPR

See Credits

David Al-Ibrahim, product designer intern; Nadir Alaoui, mobile developer; Libby Bawcombe, senior product designer; Jared Biehler, programmer; Michael Choe, senior iOS developer ; Liz Danzico, creative director; Nick DePrey, digital programming analytics manager; Grant Dickie, web developer; Ijeoma Ezeonyebuchi, mobile QA engineer; Vincent Farquharson, senior interaction designer; Dan Frohlich, senior digital analyst; Sara Goo, digital news managing editor; Bailey Kattleman, mobile product manager; Rick Kercz, sponsorship products designer; Erica Liao, data analyst; Esme Middaugh, data analyst; Tejas Mistry, senior product manager; Steve Mullis, digital news editor; Erica Osher, director of sponsorship products; Stephanie Oura, project manager/scrum master; Demian Perry, director of mobile; Ben Schein, mobile product manager; Michael Seifollahi, lead mobile developer; Mikhail Sinanan, senior mobile developer; Scott Stroud, lead UX strategist; Joel Sucherman, VP of new platform partnerships

See past winners: 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012

All Stories In Innovation By Design

Co.Design

Design will kill marketing, says Ikea’s former design chief

Marcus Engman is leaving Ikea to run a consultancy that convinces companies to spend their marketing budget on what matters: design.

Co.Design

Dyson’s latest product is a $550 hair curler

After six years and $31 million in development, Dyson is launching the Airwrap, a device that creates ringlets using a bit of aerospace-inspired physics.

Innovation By Design

Meet Krewe, the eyewear brand that New Orleans (and Beyoncé) built

The five-year-old brand’s founder is focused on giving back to his native New Orleans and putting it on the map of fashion-forward cities.

Innovation By Design

There’s even a Warby Parker of towels now

Weezie wants to shake up a mundane industry with design.

Innovation By Design

What the healthcare industry could learn from Lyft and Airbnb

The sharing economy is built upon service and interaction designs that engender interpersonal trust. Healthcare organizations could learn from it.

Innovation By Design

The future of web design is less, not more

Low-Tech Magazine’s new website is solar-powered, which means it goes offline in cloudy weather.

Innovation By Design

This building’s giant sundial shows how much energy it’s making

It’s one of the most efficient buildings in the country–but its most unique design feature might be the 40-foot-tall installation in the atrium.

Innovation By Design

Dieter Rams wants Silicon Valley to stop

In Gary Hustwit’s highly anticipated new documentary “Rams,” the legendary industrial designer indicts the world he helped create.

Innovation By Design

This long-lost Eames design is being produced for the first time

In the 1940s, radio companies rejected the Eameses’ designs as being “too modern.” Not anymore.

Innovation By Design

Honorable Mention:Apps and Games

NPR

All Stories In Innovation By Design

Design will kill marketing, says Ikea’s former design chief

Marcus Engman is leaving Ikea to run a consultancy that convinces companies to spend their marketing budget on what matters: design.

Dyson’s latest product is a $550 hair curler

After six years and $31 million in development, Dyson is launching the Airwrap, a device that creates ringlets using a bit of aerospace-inspired physics.

Meet Krewe, the eyewear brand that New Orleans (and Beyoncé) built

The five-year-old brand’s founder is focused on giving back to his native New Orleans and putting it on the map of fashion-forward cities.

There’s even a Warby Parker of towels now

Weezie wants to shake up a mundane industry with design.

What the healthcare industry could learn from Lyft and Airbnb

The sharing economy is built upon service and interaction designs that engender interpersonal trust. Healthcare organizations could learn from it.

The future of web design is less, not more

Low-Tech Magazine’s new website is solar-powered, which means it goes offline in cloudy weather.

This building’s giant sundial shows how much energy it’s making

It’s one of the most efficient buildings in the country–but its most unique design feature might be the 40-foot-tall installation in the atrium.

Dieter Rams wants Silicon Valley to stop

In Gary Hustwit’s highly anticipated new documentary “Rams,” the legendary industrial designer indicts the world he helped create.

This long-lost Eames design is being produced for the first time

In the 1940s, radio companies rejected the Eameses’ designs as being “too modern.” Not anymore.

Sick of midcentury modern? Here’s where to buy today’s best design

Skip the spindly leg sofas and knockoff Eames chairs, and try these shopping destinations instead.

Impact

This interactive map shows how wrong we picture the world

California just decided to move to 100% electric city buses

This sparkling water is the first drink to get its fizz from CO2 captured from the atmosphere

Creativity

Top 5 Ads Of The Week: Ryan Reynolds sips his gin with tongue in cheek

Kevin Reilly will oversee content at WarnerMedia’s new streaming app

CBS gives a whopping 1/6th of Moonves’ severance to anti-sexual harassment groups

Co.Design

This AI can see in total darkness

You’ve seen this font before, but you probably don’t know its name

People keep attacking Waymo’s autonomous cars

Work Life

Leadership is about coaching. Here’s how to do it well.

Why being a manager is a career change, not a promotion

This is what you need to do to overcome negative self-talk