A large white box is raised on stilts to create the upper floor of this house in Japan, sheltering a smaller ground floor and entrance from the heavy snowfalls that Hokkaido Prefecture experiences in winter (+ slideshow). More about Top-heavy house by Archi LAB designed to minimise snow buildup
Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava's science museum with a skeletal roof that projects over a public plaza has opened in Rio de Janeiro (+ slideshow). More about Museum of Tomorrow by Santiago Calatrava opens in Rio de Janeiro
A 101-metre slide winds down through this coiling structure by Fránek Architects, perched on a mountain in the Czech Republic (+ slideshow). More about Fránek Architects' mountainside Sky Walk loops up around a giant slide
Concrete tables and atmospheric lighting feature inside this Hong Kong branch of McDonald's, designed by branding consultancy Landini Associates as an alternative to bright and colourful fast-food restaurants (+ slideshow). More about Hong Kong McDonald's pilots "an experiment in non-design"
This week's Dezeen Mail includes MAD's sinuous opera house in China (pictured), Kengo Kuma and Toyo Ito's rival proposals for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic stadium and Lego's latest offering for architecture lovers.
Read Dezeen Mail issue 284 | Subscribe to Dezeen Mail
More about Dezeen Mail issue 284 features a selection of this week's best stories and discussions
The letter Q in the Dezeen A-Zdvent calendar is another design by Spanish architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava: the fourth bridge to be built in Venice since the 16th century. More about Dezeen's A-Zdvent calendar: Quarto Ponte sul Canal Grande by Santiago Calatrava
Glasgow designer Fraser Ross has created a collection of seven conceptual human organs that would perform extra functions like squirting ink and spinning silk (+ movie). More about Fraser Ross' synthetic organs combine human and animal attributes
The Royal College of Art has announced Adrian Lahoud will be the new dean of the school's architecture department, replacing Alex de Rijke. More about Royal College of Art appoints Adrian Lahoud as dean of architecture
Canadian firm Bourgeois Lechasseur Architects has completed a gabled family home in rural Quebec featuring a facade of cedar tiles (+ slideshow). More about Woodland Quebec home by Bourgeois Lechasseur features a facade of wooden tiles
A team of Canadian designers and artists has created an installation in Montreal consisting of 30 illuminated seesaws. More about Designers create winter installation for Montreal featuring 30 glowing seesaws
Batons of charred timber and layers of turf help this pair of holiday cottages by PK Arkitektar settle into the rugged landscape of south-west Iceland (+ slideshow). More about Rural Icelandic cottages by PK Arkitektar have turf roofs and burnt timber cladding
Stockholm studio Form Us With Love has added a collection of colourful square sound-absorbing tiles to its Baux range of architectural products (+ slideshow). More about Form Us With Love's acoustic tiles for Baux can be arranged into pixellated patterns
Brazilian studio Epicentro has overhauled an old building in São Paulo to create a space for a florist, adding second-hand cabinets and tables to display plants and flowers (+ slideshow). More about Epicentro fills São Paulo flower shop with vintage furniture