This riverside holiday house in South Limburg, the Netherlands, is raised on tree trunks to prevent flooding and clad with charred wood to reduce the need for maintenance (+ slideshow). More about Sustainable house on the Geul by Upfrnt and Zwarthout
Opinion: after returning from a two-week break, Sam Jacob reflects on the phenomenon of the modern beach holiday and argues that it is just as artificial as everyday working life in the city. More about "The beach is part of the same landscape as the city"
Product news: architect David Adjaye has unveiled his first furniture collection, designed for American retailer Knoll, which includes two cantilevered side chairs and a limited edition coffee table. More about The Washington Collection by David Adjaye for Knoll
Architect Julien De Smedt has launched Makers With Agendas, a new design brand with products ranging from solutions to natural disasters and humanitarian crises to coat hooks and tea sets (+ slideshow + interview). More about Makers With Agendas by Julien De Smedt and William Ravn
A free-running staircase (pictured), 3D-printing space robots and the car-frying "Walkie Scorchie" skyscraper all feature in Dezeen Mail issue 168, which also includes all the latest news, jobs, competitions and reader comments from Dezeen.
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More about Dezeen Mail #168
News: electronics brand Samsung has launched its Galaxy Gear smartwatch. More about Samsung launches Galaxy Gear smartwatch
News: the world's vainest skyscrapers have been revealed in the latest report from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, which reveals the unnecessary "vanity space" added to the top of the world's tallest buildings. More about Space-wasting "vanity" skyscrapers revealed
News: New York's Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) has appointed Glenn Adamson, the present head of research at London's V&A museum, as its new director. More about Glenn Adamson appointed director of Museum of Arts and Design
Models at a Norwegian fashion event walked along this looping wooden catwalk designed by Oslo studio Gartnerfuglen Architects (+ slideshow). More about Catwalk for Up [øpp] by Gartnerfuglen Architects
London studio Duggan Morris Architects has completed a community facility in south London that combines exposed concrete frames with raw brickwork and warm oak (+ slideshow). More about ORTUS, home of Maudsley Learning by Duggan Morris Architects
A combined bookshelf and staircase creates a small library with interchangeable shelving at this apartment in the Ukraine by architect Alex Bykov (+ slideshow). More about Loft Apartment by Alex Bykov
These magnetic headphone jacks by New York designer Jon Patterson split in two when tugged to prevent damaging devices when wires get snagged (+ movie). More about Pogo connectors by Jon Patterson