A patchwork of yellow, green and white panels covers the erratically curving facade of a school in Finland by Linja Architects. More »

One year ago Zaha Hadid Architects unveiled designs for an enormous undulating arts centre in Chengdu, China and Michael Graves & Associates completed a building for the Dutch national automobile museum inspired by a traditional carriage house. More »

A 1960’s residence renovated by London architects Duggan Morris has won the RIBA Manser Medal 2011 for the best new house in the UK. More »

This week on Dezeen Thomas Heatherwick designed an interior for an abbey with curving walnut and ash choir stalls and Dutch architects MVRDV unveiled proposals for a hotel covered in flowers inside a giant greenhouse. More »

Japanese artist Takaya adorns the heads of models with raw vegetables and blossoming flowers. More »

Dezeen Wire: the Design and Technology Association is urging people to complete an online petition to retain design and technology as a compulsory part of the UK’s National Curriculum.

Design and technology is one of the subjects that could become optional in schools following the government’s announcement in January that it intends to slim down the curriculum. The petition is supported by key members of the creative and manufacturing industries, who believe the subject to be vital to the UK’s economic development.

Anyone wishing to support the campaign should visit the the Design and Technology Campaign website to sign the online petition or contact their local MP.

Dezeen Watch Store: a limited edition watch that displays the time in eight international cities by British designer Crispin Jones of Mr Jones Watches is now available at Dezeen Watch Store. More »

Competition: we’ve teamed up with bi-monthly publication Architectural Design to give away five copies of their latest issue, Experimental Green Strategies. More »

A faceted glass shroud cloaks these former shipbuilding warehouses in Elsinore, Denmark, which architects AART have converted into a cultural centre. More »

Dezeen Wire: discarded bottles sourced from hotels, restaurants, homes and foreign embassies are being filled with sand and used as bricks to create curved-walled houses in a Nigerian village – BBC

The bottles are bound together with mud resulting in durable walls that are sustainable, cost-effective and provide insulation from the sun’s heat. The resulting buildings are also bullet-proof – a useful benefit in an area plagued by violence. An estate of 25 houses is currently being built with plans for a school to follow.

See our previous story on a house made from sand bags in South Africa.

Dezeen Wire: a meals-on-wheels service that brings home cooked food to elderly residents is one of three projects that will share £100,000 awarded by the UK government’s Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) to the winners of a competition that called for innovative ideas to help elderly citizens live more independent lives. More »

Small windows offer glimpses of the straw used to construct this university building in Nottingham, England, by architects Make. More »

Dezeen Wire: David Chipperfield is to curate the 2012 Venice Architecture Biennale, becoming the first British architect to take on the role - The Guardian

The official announcement has been delayed because of Chipperfield’s reservations over working with Giulio Malgara, who was expected to become the director of the biennale and is a friend of Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi. Following Berlusconi’s decision to stand down it is expected that current director Paolo Baratta will retain the role as biennale director.

See more stories about David Chipperfield on Dezeen.

Dezeen Screen: this movie shows how Dutch designers Rietveld Landscape placed rows of flaming torches inside an abandoned building so that it would appear to be on fire, before inviting visitors inside. Watch the movie »