Dezeen Magazine

This week, a surprise election result created uncertainty for UK architects and designers

This week on Dezeen, UK architects and designers revealed "mixed emotions" following the result of a hung parliament, which the Creative Industries Federation said will prevent the hard Brexit many feared.

The surprise result of Thursday's election – which saw Theresa May's Conservatives fail to hold on to a majority government – has sent ripples of uncertainty through the UK's creative community.

Architects and designers are concerned about how the result will impact May's negotiating hand with the EU, and the Creative Industries Federation claims the Prime Minister has no mandate for a hard Brexit.

Banksy pledged to send a free print to UK citizens voting against the Conservatives, but U-turned a day later

Ahead of the result, research by The Architects' Journal revealed that the majority of UK architects planned to vote Labour. And on the eve of the election, UK illustrators used Instagram to urge people to go out and vote.

Earlier in the week, street artist Banksy pledged to send a free print to UK citizens voting against the Conservatives, but recalled them a day later after warnings it could invalidate the election result.

Ian Schrager described the skyscraper that replaced the Twin Towers as a missed chance to create great architecture

In other news, hotelier Ian Schrager described One World Trade Center as a "missed opportunity" this week and US architects condemned Donald Trump for his decision to pull out of the Paris Agreement.

Apple revealed a voice-controlled speaker and a do-not-disturb feature for driving at a conference in California. But Michelle Obama warned the tech giant that it will miss out on a major market if it doesn't hire more women.

Terrace House by Shigeru Ban
Shigeru Ban reveals new details of "world's tallest hybrid timber structure" for Vancouver

In a step forward for timber architecture, the USA's first high-rise wooden structure received approval from planners and Shigeru Ban revealed images of a hybrid-timber tower in Vancouver that could become the tallest of its kind.

While in Italy, Zaha Hadid Architects has completed the first section of a new high-speed train station on the outskirts of Naples, which is set to open today.

Robie House by Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House was one of his most pioneering projects

Frank Lloyd Wright was born 150 years ago on Thursday. To mark the occasion, Lego launched a Guggenheim Museum kit, a major retrospective exhibition opened at the MoMA and Dezeen rounded up the legendary US architect's best projects.

This week was also IKEA's Democratic Design Day, which saw the Swedish furniture giant look to space travel for a new micro-living furniture collection and announce a collaboration with Virgil Abloh.

Stella McCartney announced she will collaborate with Parley for the Oceans on an upcoming fashion line and Adidas is facing a lawsuit over a pair of Art Basel-branded trainers.

LAI Yard by Ming Gu Design
Glazed meditation room overlooks traditional courtyard from Nanjing home

And finally, Airbnb harnessed its vast network of short-term home rentals to create a new platform providing housing for refugees – a product of its in-house humanitarian team led by designer Cameron Sinclair.

Popular projects this week on Dezeen included a glazed meditation room overlooking a traditional courtyard, a tower block by MVRDV that resembles a giant staircase and a zinc sauna on the shore of a tiny Finnish island.

Main image is by Jack Bedford.