Dezeen Magazine

Snøhetta's Redisgn for New York's Times Square

This week, Balenciaga paid tribute to IKEA and Times Square was transformed

This week on Dezeen, Balenciaga launched its own version of IKEA's iconic blue tote bag, and Snøhetta completed its transformation of New York's Times Square.

Snøhetta has almost doubled the amount of space for pedestrians at New York's Times Square – the busiest location in the United States. It officially reopened on Wednesday.

Balenciaga sells £1,705 version of IKEA's blue tote bag worth 40p

The same day, luxury fashion brand Balenciaga sparked a huge debate with the launch of its Arena tote, which bears a striking resemblance to IKEA's iconic Frakta bag, but retails at £1,705 rather than 40p.

IKEA also made the headlines this week by revealing it will employee refugees at production centres in Jordan this summer as part of a long-term plan to create employment for 200,000 disadvantaged people around the world.

Drone footage captures Apple Park as it prepares to welcome employees

In the US, the soon-to-open Apple Park was revealed to be largely complete, amid rumours that the company is buying up all the trees available in California.

The tech giant also this week joined the list of companies approved to test driverless vehicles on California's roads.

The Eden Project hotel by Tate Harmer
Tate Harmer reveals plans for £8.5 million hotel at the Eden Project

In UK news, residents of the Rogers Stirk Harbour-designed Neo Bankside apartments started legal proceedings against the neighbouring Tate Modern, following an ongoing feud about its 360-degree viewing platform.

Another Tate also featured on Dezeen – architecture firm Tate Harmer revealed plans for an £8.5 million hotel at the Eden Project ecological park in Cornwall.

Ennead Lab Car Charging Station
Ennead Lab proposes electric car charging tower as "the future of roadside architecture"

It was an interesting week for technology. The biggest news was that Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg predicted the end of TV, which he says will be made obsolete by augmented reality.

Ennead Lab revealed a concept for an electric-car charging tower, expected to replace petrol stations, while Yves Behar's Juicero juicer was derided on social media after it transpired that a pair of hands could do the same job as the $400 machine.

Odunpazari by KKAA
Kengo Kuma unveils stacked wooden box design for Turkish art museum

In architecture news, Japanese architect Kengo Kuma revealed designs for an art museum in a former wood market in Turkey, and a conceptual farm tower designed to move across sub-Saharan Africa scooped top prize in the eVolo Skyscraper Competition.

Additionally, David Adjaye was named world's most influential architect by Time magazine.

Black Lodge by Tomislav Soldo
Croatian mountain lodge by Tomislav Soldo designed to light up like a lantern through diagonal shutters

The most popular projects on Dezeen this week included a Croatian mountain lodge, a Sydney cottage extension facing a 116-year-old tree and a remodelled Toronto loft with a boxy white sleeping nook.