Sony Revives Original 1979 Walkman Headphones as MDR-3R

By Elena Vasquez

Sony has launched a remake of its original Walkman headphones, 47 years after the first portable cassette player debuted in 1979. The new model, called MDR-3R, keeps the colourful foam pads of the original and adds a USB-C connector that works with most modern devices, Dezeen reported on 9 November 2026.

The Japanese electronics company's release leans squarely into 1980s nostalgia. The headphones resemble the pair that shipped with the first Walkman in 1979.

What else did the design week produce?

Swedish designer Gustaf Westman unveiled his full collection for Disney on 10 November. It includes a bookstand shaped like Donald Duck and a mirror resembling Pluto. "Mickey's ears and white gloves, Minnie's bow, Goofy's playful silhouette – they're instantly recognisable shapes, and that made them really fun to work with," Westman told Dezeen.

American architect Steven Holl designed a colourful watch for Swiss brand Cauny, revealed on 12 November. The timepiece has a three-dimensional dial with red, green, yellow and blue blocks. It responds to a compliment architect Álvaro Siza once paid Holl, telling him he used colour "like Matisse". Holl designed the watch as a dialogue between the two architects.

In car design, Swedish electric vehicle brand Polestar unveiled its Formula 2030 concept car on 13 November. The brand says the low-slung sports car "screams performance". It carries signature Dual Blade headlights, a long bonnet, wraparound windscreen, short overhangs, muscular haunches and 22-inch wheels.

What happened to La Querola and the Shanghai opera house?

A housing development in Andorra designed by Ateliers Jean Nouvel and Ribas & Ribas Arquitectos was damaged in a fire. Called La Querola, the project is shortlisted in the housing category of this year's Dezeen Awards and won the awards' public vote in October. The cause of the fire is unknown. No official estimate of the damage has been released.

In Shanghai, access to the Snøhetta-designed Grand Opera House's spiral staircase is now restricted to ticket holders. The staircase, which leads to the roof and became a popular photo spot, now costs £5.60 per person. Snøhetta told Dezeen that "visitor management is necessary".

The charge marks a shift for a building feature that had functioned as free public space, and it raises questions about how other photo-driven landmarks will manage crowds.

What caught readers' attention?

A Dezeen roundup explored five examples of Mesoamerican modern architecture combining ancient principles with modern techniques. Curator and writer Su Wu chose five homes from her book on the subject. She says they "reflect the complex aesthetic cultures of Mesoamerica".

Popular projects this week included:

• A former agricultural barn in Cornwall transformed by EBBA Architects
• A viewpoint in Iceland informed by Viking rings
• A playful Portuguese retreat by fala atelier

Dezeen's weekly podcast examined the Tesla Cybertruck, asking whether it was a flop or a design success.

Sony's MDR-3R remake suggests heritage hardware remains a reliable draw for consumers, and the coming weeks will show whether other 1970s-era audio icons follow the USB-C path.