Dezeen Magazine

This week, IKEA launched solar battery packs and Tesla unveiled its latest electric car

This week on Dezeen, IKEA rivalled Tesla with the launch of solar battery packs, while the electric car company unveiled its first mass-market electric vehicle.

IKEA is to save customers money on their energy bills by introducing battery-storage for solar panels, which would work in much the same way as Tesla's Powerwall batteries.

Electric car company Tesla unveils Model 3
Tesla unveils "first mass-market electric vehicle" the Model 3

But it was also a good week for Elon Musk's company, which finally launched its most affordable electric vehicle to date.

In other news, a blaze broke out at one of Dubai's tallest skyscrapers for the second time and a review into fire safety was launched in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

Toronto Tree Tower by Penda
Penda proposes Toronto Tree Tower built from cross-laminated timber modules

In architecture, Penda unveiled a cross-laminated timber tower for Toronto and MVRDV designed a Sri Lankan office building with stepped terraces.

Also, American studio wHY won a competition to design a new events pavilion for Edinburgh and  guests at New York's Public hotel made headlines for having sex in full view of their neighbours.

Brompton Electric bike
Brompton launches first battery-powered version of its folding bike

In the world of technology, Gravity Sketch made its virtual reality 3D-drawing tool available to the public and Brompton launched the first battery-powered version of its folding bike.

The world's first autonomous container ship announced a maiden voyage in 2018 and the high-speed Hyperloop One reached 190 miles per hour in its first full system test.

Snarkitecture's installation for COS will feature thousands of glass marbles

Also this week, Snarkitecture revealed an immersive installation for fashion brand COS and rumours emerged regarding the new iPhone's design.

And, in a video interview with Dezeen, MAD's Ma Yansong said Chinese cities should draw more from the country's traditional architecture, rather than copying the style of western buildings.

El Palmar by David Cervera
Modest holiday retreat by David Cervera nestles amongst the palms in Mexico

Popular projects this week included a mission-style house in Phoenix, a modest Mexican holiday retreat and blown-glass lights shaped like soap bubbles.