Need to Know
10 : 12 : 18

Helsinki – Oodi is a civic space that transforms the library into a technology-driven leisure hub for the local community.

The ideology behind public libraries is that they traditionally act as a meeting place for residents to read, work and study. The directors of Oodi, however, want to expand how the local community uses the space by incorporating a cinema, restaurant, recording studios and gaming room. The workshop, which includes 3D printers and laser cutters, also allows visitors to repair personal items or create their own.

Tommi Laitio, Helsinki’s executive director for culture and leisure, explained that the building is intended to be used as both a co-working space and a town square, as Helsinki often experiences extreme weather and so being outside for prolonged periods is not an option. ‘We have to make sure that libraries aren’t just relevant for people who can’t afford books or a computer,’ says Laitio.

As the younger generation demonstrate new attitudes towards reading, traditional libraries will have to change too, and reposition their role as Civic Placemakers.

UK – Creative recruitment site The Dots has introduced a new feature to help reduce unconscious bias in the hiring process.

When turned on, the bias blocking tool can hide candidates’ personal data, such as name, photos and educational background, which can all impact their potential employability. ‘In the workplace, [unconscious bias] manifests in all sorts of terribly racist, sexist and classist ways,’ says Dan Harvey, head of product design and brand at The Dots. ‘Our core mission is to make the creative industries more open, diverse and inclusive.’

With companies such as the BBC and Deloitte now adopting blind recruitment practices, the move signals an increased awareness of the need to minimise unconscious bias in the hiring process as part of encouraging greater diversity in the workplace.

Digital tools to tackle other types of prejudice are also on the rise, with the Financial Times recently introducing a newsroom bot to address gender bias in its sources.

US – Wellness brand The Nue Co has created the first anti-stress supplement that can be worn as a fragrance.

Functional Fragrance is a unisex scent that can be used throughout the day, or at moments of high stress, to reset and recentre. In order to alter the emotional and physiological state of the fragrance’s wearer, the company utilised research from the Brain & Behaviour Laboratory at the University of Geneva. The resulting fragrance is designed to be accompanied by a breathing exercise.

‘When we looked at what was the science behind aromatherapy, we saw that there’s a huge amount of research that connects the olfactive system with our corpus callosum,’ says Jules Miller, founder and CEO of The Nue Co. It is the first fragrance to come from the wellness company, which is known for its ingestible supplements.

The concept of creating a mind-altering scent has moved beyond mere marketing jargon to become something more tangible. For more, read our microtrend Psychoactive Scents.

A new report from the United Nations surveys the global number of national policies to regulate the manufacturing, sale, use and disposal of single-use plastics. Findings show a significant increase in plastic bag bans worldwide, while many microplastic products remain largely overlooked by legislation. Only eight out of the 192 countries assessed (4%) have banned microbeads, for example.

The report follows shortly after Collins Dictionary named ‘single-use’ as its word of the year for 2018, reflecting the extent to which plastic pollution has risen to the top of the worldwide environmental agenda.

Greater consideration for the lifecycle of plastics can, however, present opportunities to use the material more thoughtfully. Earlier this year, designers at London Design Fair took a different approach to recycled plastic, spotlighting the materials’ overlooked potential.