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50 Worldwide Design Ideas That Are Actually Ingenious

Have you ever seen a campaign ad so clever that you just have to applaud the minds behind it?

50 Worldwide Design Ideas That Are Actually Ingenious

Some design ideas are so clever they make everyday objects, buildings, and ads feel a lot more memorable than they have any right to be. From playful product details to striking architecture, the best examples do more than look good, they solve a problem or make you stop and stare.

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This roundup pulls together 50 worldwide design ideas from the DesignPorn community, and the range is huge. There are smart public campaigns, inventive furniture, unusual buildings, and small details that turn ordinary items into something far more interesting.

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Scroll through the list and see which ones stand out most.

1. Apartment Building That Holds 150 Trees in Turin

1. Apartment Building That Holds 150 Trees in Turinkarmagheden
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2. Pigalle Basketball Court Designed by Ill Studio & Nike

2. Pigalle Basketball Court Designed by Ill Studio & Niketanmaypendse63
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3. Norwegian Restaurant That's Half-Sunken into the Sea

3. Norwegian Restaurant That's Half-Sunken into the Seapost_scriptor

4. "Thought This Was a Very Clever Way to Make a Caution Sign. It's Still Highly Visible and Does Its Job, but with Some Fun. As an Added Bonus, It Was in a Jamba Juice, So It Makes Sense with Their Aesthetic"

4. "Thought This Was a Very Clever Way to Make a Caution Sign. It's Still Highly Visible and Does Its Job, but with Some Fun. As an Added Bonus, It Was in a Jamba Juice, So It Makes Sense with Their Aesthetic"RGZoro

5. "Der Spiegel" Covers 2017 and 2020

5. "Der Spiegel" Covers 2017 and 2020xohax

That kind of visual wit is exactly what makes these examples so memorable.

6. Umbrella Logo That Only Appears When Wet

6. Umbrella Logo That Only Appears When Wetjustinmantan12

7. Bed Sheet That Tells You Which Side You Are Holding

7. Bed Sheet That Tells You Which Side You Are HoldingNotMyCabbagesAgain

8. Wooden Dining Chair

8. Wooden Dining ChairPuzzleheaded-South58

9. Toronto's Ads Against Littering

9. Toronto's Ads Against LitteringUnderhat3d

10. This Dishwasher That Has a Timer Projecting onto the Floor

10. This Dishwasher That Has a Timer Projecting onto the Floororganiksoulkv

11. Gothic Architecture of a Lawyer's House in Saint Petersburg, Russia (Kelch Mansion)

11. Gothic Architecture of a Lawyer's House in Saint Petersburg, Russia (Kelch Mansion)beersjob

12. Enchanting Gothic Victorian House Built in 1888 in Arcata, California

12. Enchanting Gothic Victorian House Built in 1888 in Arcata, Californiabeersjob

13. "It's the Hat" Clever Ad for Hut Weber, a German Hat Company. One of My All-Time Favorite Clever but Incredibly Simple Advertising Designs

13. "It's the Hat" Clever Ad for Hut Weber, a German Hat Company. One of My All-Time Favorite Clever but Incredibly Simple Advertising DesignsDangerNoodle808

14. Built-in Cable Management

14. Built-in Cable Managementohsobogus

15. Canada's Awareness Ad for Seatbelts

15. Canada's Awareness Ad for Seatbeltstanmaypendse63

16. This Adorable Year 2020 Badge Design

16. This Adorable Year 2020 Badge Designdochev30

17. Rainbow Apartment Building in Istanbul, Turkey

17. Rainbow Apartment Building in Istanbul, TurkeyCecca105

18. Refrigerator with a Lazy Susan

18. Refrigerator with a Lazy Susan5_Frog_Margin

19. Drain Placed Right Under the Soap Dispenser to Prevent Stains

19. Drain Placed Right Under the Soap Dispenser to Prevent Stainsdroo46

For more “wait, that’s genius” moments, check out small surprises that turn ordinary life into something unexpected.

20. Giant Iron Tree Built into the Side of the Russian Ministry of Agriculture

20. Giant Iron Tree Built into the Side of the Russian Ministry of Agriculturesnoopdog16

21. A Natural Walkway

21. A Natural WalkwayWhisker_dan

22. Swirly Staircase

22. Swirly Staircaseherodov

23. Angled Bottleneck for Easy Filling and Drinking

23. Angled Bottleneck for Easy Filling and Drinkingneeraj_agarwal

24. Ford's Ad Campaign When Women Were Finally Allowed to Drive in Saudi Arabia

24. Ford's Ad Campaign When Women Were Finally Allowed to Drive in Saudi Arabia5_Frog_Margin

25. Genius Exit Sign

25. Genius Exit SignAndr0ximus

26. Igloo Hotels in Lapland, Finland

26. Igloo Hotels in Lapland, Finlandomermeijk

27. Creative Playing Cards

27. Creative Playing Cardsbrutalproduct

28. This WW1 Memorial in Vác, Hungary

28. This WW1 Memorial in Vác, HungaryOoORebornOoO

29. Bird Bottle Opener

29. Bird Bottle Openerwaynology

30. Elderly-Friendly Locks (or Drunk-Friendly)

30. Elderly-Friendly Locks (or Drunk-Friendly)5_Frog_Margin

31. Poster for the Borat 2 Film

31. Poster for the Borat 2 Filmshamalamadingdong00

32. Time’s New Cover for the Pandemic

32. Time’s New Cover for the Pandemicsudde004

33. This Maintenance Guy's Shirt Is Also a Helpful Sign

33. This Maintenance Guy's Shirt Is Also a Helpful SignJugglerguy

34. Captain Hook Right at the Door

34. Captain Hook Right at the Doorpunchdrunk22

35. Royal Mail's New Electric Delivery Van

35. Royal Mail's New Electric Delivery VanBigiottiur

36. A Contemporary House with a Glass Ceiling Bedroom

36. A Contemporary House with a Glass Ceiling Bedroommtlgrems

37. Art Nouveau Architecture of a House Built in the 1880s, Brussels, Belgium

37. Art Nouveau Architecture of a House Built in the 1880s, Brussels, BelgiumNadene_Stapleton

38. This Multi-Colored Hair Ad That Makes Use of the Sky

38. This Multi-Colored Hair Ad That Makes Use of the SkyCheapShotNinia

39. Flexible Ladle

39. Flexible LadledunnO_wat21

40. A Suitcase That Can Self-Measure Its Weight

40. A Suitcase That Can Self-Measure Its WeightRimbo90

41. Brilliant Deck

41. Brilliant Deckmtlgrems

42. Milk Jugs Lined Up Form This Image

42. Milk Jugs Lined Up Form This ImageUnicorn-Shaman

43. "The Architecture of This Home Office/Library Located in the 13th Arrondissement of Paris"

43. "The Architecture of This Home Office/Library Located in the 13th Arrondissement of Paris"neatlysanta

44. Railed Benches So You Can Always Sit Under a Shade

44. Railed Benches So You Can Always Sit Under a ShadeDhyeyLim

45. Puzzle That Comes with a Stand to Hold the Box Up

45. Puzzle That Comes with a Stand to Hold the Box UpToddlerOlympian

46. Bread Knife in a Swiss Restaurant That Shows the Major Peaks in Switzerland

46. Bread Knife in a Swiss Restaurant That Shows the Major Peaks in Switzerland5_Frog_Margin

47. "Self-Taught American Artist Brian Mock Turns Reclaimed Materials into Breathtaking Sculptures"

47. "Self-Taught American Artist Brian Mock Turns Reclaimed Materials into Breathtaking Sculptures"j3ffr33d0m

48. It's Always Dune No Matter Which Side You Read It, Designed by Alex Trochut

48. It's Always Dune No Matter Which Side You Read It, Designed by Alex TrochutPortlandsBatman

49. Beautiful Elvish - Elvin Silverware

49. Beautiful Elvish - Elvin Silverwarecenabollywood

50. Packaging for Glasses

50. Packaging for Glassessadshuichi

These are the kinds of ideas that make people stop scrolling.

Which one was your favorite?

Comment with your thoughts or share these photos with all your family and friends to see!

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