Dezeen Magazine

Bacteria and pedal power could be the future of kitchens – The Guardian

Dezeen Wire: design critic Justin McGuirk says that a kitchen concept by Dutch electrical company Philips that uses decomposition to generate methane gas for cooking is an example of how we may "have to get more comfortable with bacteria and with putrefaction's role in our ecosystem" – The Guardian

McGuirk claims the Microbial kitchen concept's "steampunk" aesthetic offers "an alternative vision to the clinical kitchen," and also mentions the trend for low-tech kitchen appliances, such as designer Christoph Thetard's pedal-powered devices, which he says represent a reaction to the impending energy crisis.

Last year Dezeen published a report on Food and Design, including examples of low-tech gadgets for preserving and preparing ingredients and concepts for growing food in the kitchen.

Even more designers and brands at The Temporium

Our Christmas shop, The Temporium, opens next week and we're excited to announce more participants – including British brands Established & Sons and Another Country, and Spanish textile designer Cristian Zuzunaga... as well as chocolate moustaches by Diego Ramos for Chocolat Factory (above).

We'll also have flying Christmas cards, USB stick necklaces, diamond-shaped lights and much more... More about Even more designers and brands at The Temporium

House in Saka by Suppose Design Office

The raised corner of this house in Hiroshima by Japanese architects Suppose Design Office allows light to creep into the interior. More about House in Saka by Suppose Design Office

Médiathèque Corbie by Béal & Blanckaert

Paris architects Béal & Blanckaert have completed a Corten-clad library in the grounds of a monastery in northern France (photos by Julien Lanoo). More about Médiathèque Corbie by Béal & Blanckaert

Dune House by Jarmund/Vigsnæs Architects and Mole Architects

The third completed house in Alain de Botton’s Living Architecture series has a faceted black upper storey that sits on top of the glass-walled ground floor like a big hat. More about Dune House by Jarmund/Vigsnæs Architects and Mole Architects

Peroni Collaborazioni Talks: Fabio Novembre

As part of Peroni Nastro Azzurro's series of talks on Italian design at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, Dezeen editor-in-chief Marcus Fairs will chair a discussion with Milan designer Fabio Novembre on 29 November. More about Peroni Collaborazioni Talks: Fabio Novembre

Special feature: designed in Israel

Dezeen in Israel: we've noticed a big increase in interesting design coming out of Israel in recent years, so last week we visited Tel Aviv to see recent projects from both established local designers and recent graduates of schools in this up-coming design nation. We'll publish our pick of the best projects over the next few days, but in the meantime we've grouped together all our stories about furniture and products designed in Israel. See all the stories »

You can also watch Dezeen editor-in-chief Marcus Fairs and Tel Aviv-born designer Shay Alkalay discussing the rise of design in Israel in a movie we filmed in Cologne earlier this year. Watch the movie »

McDonald's by Patrick Norguet

Fast-food giant McDonald's have commissioned designer Patrick Norguet to redesign their restaurant interiors across France. More about McDonald's by Patrick Norguet

Gavroche centre for children by SOA Architectes

Workshops clad in timber batons sit atop this children’s centre outside Paris by French architects SOA. More about Gavroche centre for children by SOA Architectes

Five years ago...

On 17 November 2006 Dezeen published its first ever story about the Design Museum dropping the Designer of the Year award. More about Five years ago...