A conceptual wildfire detection system powered by renewable energy and composed of recycled Samsung smartphones has been named the winner of the Re:Create Design Challenge.

Hailing from various locations across the US, designers Abi Lambert, Cade Thurlby, Karl Wagner and Tyler Boshard have claimed the top prize of £10,000 with their design called Solar Lookout.

The Re:Create Design Challenge tasked entrants to come up with creative ideas to repurpose old Samsung devices or materials and transform them into new products or services.

The competition aimed to discover creative ideas that could potentially help people's lives and the planet in meaningful ways.

The Solar Lookout proposal would see Samsung smartphones repurposed into wildfire detection devices. Powered by renewable energy, the proposal was designed with the ambition to reduce the time elapsed between the genesis of the fire and when it is reported.

Envisioned to be situated in wildfire-prone zones, the devices would sit three metres above the ground. At this height, the device would make use of smartphone cameras to detect abnormalities such as fires or smoke, employing an AI technology for accurate identification.

The smartphone would be encased within a perforated metal container camouflaged to blend in with the surrounding landscape. The container would feature an opening to enable the phone camera to capture its surroundings.

According to the designers, the phone would communicate via a mesh network and would be developed to be able to report geospatial data including weather patterns and air quality.

The designers proposed that the device would be equipped with a 50-watt solar panel affixed to the top of the pole to generate power for the phone and double as a shade to protect it from overheating.

To mitigate challenging lighting conditions, the devices would reserve space for a Samsung power bank to ensure extended usability overnight.

"So many great designs were shortlisted for Dezeen and Samsung's Re:Create Design Challenge, and it was a joy to see how people across the world envisioned creative ideas that could have a positive impact," Dezeen's deputy editor Cajsa Carlson said.

"Solar Lookout stood out for its proposed utility and well-executed design. The thought and attention to detail that the designers put into the project, and the intention to help communities makes it a very worthy winner," she continued.

London design studio Landor & Fitch and Korean designer Eunsu Lee were the runners up of the competition.

Landor & Fitch's proposal, named Robin, is a modular kit concept that would empower children to construct their own products for outdoor exploration. The concept was designed to foster education and curiosity around how products are made and, hopefully, instil positive recycling practises from a young age.

Robin would be an interactive tool that utilises components from old Samsung devices, such as cameras, speakers and LEDs.

The components would be repurposed into modular parts that can be easily assembled to create diverse products such as a camera, fan and torch.

Lee's concept, named Memory Capsule, is a proposed recycling campaign in which discarded smartphones would be transformed into USB devices. These not only would act as a storage device but also would symbolically serve as a time capsule to preserve memories in the form of images, videos and other data from old phones.

As a playful nod to its name, the design of the device echoes the form of medical capsules and would feature a transparent cap which, according to the designers, would be made from "recycled polycarbonate sourced from discarded fishing nets."

The packaging of the device would be crafted from recycled pulp, while the metals and plastics used in the USB would be extracted from discarded smartphones.

"The entrants really showcased the power of design through a meaningful and sustainable approach to innovation," Samsung said.

"The implementation and actual impact on the planet remains untested. However, with consistent effort and creativity in mind, we hope brainstorming such small changes could possibly help create our vision for the future together."

The finalists beat entries from over 45 different countries around the world, with Solar Lookout emerging as the winner of the Re:Create Design Challenge.

The entries were initially whittled down to a shortlist of 11 designs, from which the jury selected the top three prize winners. Each design was assessed on its innovation and consideration for its use of old Samsung devices and recycled materials.

There was a total prize pot of £18,000 for the top three finalists, with £10,000 going to the designers of Solar Lookout for their winning design.

The proposed designs by the entrants are conceptual and have not been implemented. No assessment was made regarding implementation feasibility and actual or potential social and environmental impact of the designs, which were judged purely on the strength and creativity of the ideas presented.

Partnership content

The Re:Create Design Challenge is a partnership between Dezeen and Samsung. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.