Part of maintaining a thriving creative culture is giving people time and permission to play. One of the ways we encourage creative play at IDEO is through Designs On—, a semi-annual internal design challenge started five years ago by my colleague Blaise Bertrand. Each edition of Designs On— centers on a theme ranging from Global Warming to Birth.

Packaging is the central theme of the newly launched fifth edition of Designs On—. In it are 18 unexpected packaging ideas, like a medicine bottle that signals expiration like a rotting banana, and using synthetic biology to sustainably manufacture cups, among many other thought-provoking ideas. Serious, scientific, playful, and emotional, the concepts form a collective portfolio that showcases the creativity of our designers, and acts as inspiration for our current—and future—client work.

We think it’s creative playtime well spent.

What about you? What would you design if time, money, or feasibility weren’t concerns?

(Posted also on my LinkedIn Thought Leader blog)