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06 : 09 : 21

Norway – The interplay between nature and the built environment takes centre stage in the proposal for Powered by Ulsteinvik, a verdant vision for urban living in Scandinavia that draws on local natural resources to grow food and power local buildings.

Designed by architects Kaleidoscope Nordic, this future city would be situated close to the sea, with a focus on creating a pleasurable space for people to work and live. Alongside a smart grid and automated electric buses, Powered by Ulsteinvik will utilise the local land’s natural energy to create circular neighbourhoods, using rainwater for food and flow-r-growing. Community is also central to this future Equilibrium City, with shared kitchens for residents to cook and eat together, as well as ‘generation gardens’ where kindergartens, elderly care and medical facilities can immerse people in green spaces – something that is proven to be health-positive.

In particular, this proposal also emphasises how, in certain regions, green spaces can help people to connect but also reclaim independence and security through activities like food growing that are also inherently more eco-friendly. In New Urban Farms, we examine the cross-over between food technology and ancient farming techniques in use in global cities.

UK – Refillable products have grown across the beauty and personal care sectors, but the distribution of refills can still result in more packaging and waste than necessary – something OnRepeat wants to tackle with a B2B service that quickly and efficiently delivers refills directly to customers’ doors.

Offering a next-day service, OnRepeat’s beauty refill packaging is postable and eco-conscious in design, made with biodegradable materials including a non-toxic film that dissolves in hot water. It works directly with brands to stock their beauty or soap refills, which it then sends directly on to customers. With a mission to reduce waste in the beauty industry, the company is said to be in conversation with organisations such as the British Beauty Council, The Sustainability Coalition and A Plastic Planet to collectively solve beauty’s plastic problem.

While refillable beauty products and services originated as a premium offer, OnRepeat wants to make its service as broad and eco-venient as possible. Co-founder Micaela Nisbet tells Dezeen: ‘For us to do that, the service needs to be super-easy and cost-effective for both brands and consumers. Because if it isn't, people are not going to come back to it.’

While cities were deemed quiet sanctuaries during the lockdown periods of 2020, London was louder than ever. A new study by researchers at University College London (UCL) found that noise complaints in London rose by 48% during the Covid-19 lockdown, compared with the same period in spring 2019.

With more people using their new-found free time for housing renovations, complaints about construction showed a significant increase of 36%, along with neighbourhood noise (50%). The report also found that noise complaints had soared in areas with higher unemployment rates, meaning this study could help the government allocate resources more effectively and ultimately achieve a more comfortable urban environment.

Silence is increasingly considered a luxury in our noisy urban epicentres. To find out where brands can step in and create solutions for serenity, read our Silent Homes microtrend.