✏ Issue #475: 20 Best New Websites, Experience Japan Pictograms, Symphosizer, AI in Design, and more…

Get 1-year of the .design domain name for free! Tell the world exactly who you are and what you do with your own .design domain, the most elegant and functional option for web designers. Your .design domain name comes with free WHOIS Privacy, a free SSL Certificate, a free hosting trial, and a free email trial. - AD

The last year has been difficult for countless people; with many now trying to look forwards, a new health and prosperity trend is being reflected in the latest site designs. This month’s edition of the Best New Websites, featuring the freshest sites we’ve seen released in the previous four weeks, is packed with healthy vibes.

Symphosizer is an awesome interactive type experiment. Developed as part of the San Francisco Symphony orchestra’s rebrand, it is described as a “sound activated typographic instrument.” Type in some text, turn on your mic, make some noise and watch the type respond to the sound in a way that mimics music. It’s brilliant.

Designed to help tourists understand the finer points of visiting Japan — with one eye on the Tokyo Olympics — the Nippon Design Center has released a set of free icons for personal and commercial uses. You’ll find some unusual pictograms like one for archeological sites, mixed in with more universal symbols like the taxi icon.

AI has been at the center of the debate around the future of design for some time. In this observant article, Jon Yablonski argues that AI is already an integral part of our design practice, providing excellent examples to underpin the point. He covers where things might go wrong, and looks at possible future developments.

Tauri is a super-exciting toolkit that allows you to build desktop applications using the web’s front-end technology. It allows you to leverage your existing web design skills to move into software without having to learn a whole new set of coding languages — you can even use your favorite framework to fast-track development.

Formafantasma is a Dutch creative agency specializing in research-based design. Its latest site, designed and built in collaboration with Studio Blanco, is an extreme approach to minimizing the environmental footprint of a website by using default fonts, few images, and highly optimized code. It’s a fascinating look at what is possible.

Boardly is a simple app for managing your day-to-day tasks. The minimal task board features three types of task: todo, doing, and done; you can also assign complexity to different tasks. This approach helps you focus on where you are in your day, and what you need to do to stay on top of your workload. Boardly is free to use.

Contra is a brand new professional network for full or part-time freelancers. It allows you to build a profile based on projects you have worked on, connecting you to vetted collaborators through shared experience instead of a résumé. Find work opportunities from the network of 1st and 2nd tier connections you have history with.