Dezeen Magazine

MSG Sphere by Populous

This week London's spherical music venue was approved

This week on Dezeen, the MSG Sphere music and esports arena moved a step closer to reality as it was approved by planners.

Designed by architecture studio Populous, the 90-metre-high spherical music venue is set to be built near the Olympic Park in east London. It was approved despite 852 objections being submitted in opposition to the project.

Skater in F51 multi-storey skatepark in Folkestone by Hollaway Studio
The world's first multi-storey skatepark opened its doors this week

In other architecture news, the world's first multi-storey skatepark opened in Kent.

Designed by Hollaway Studio, the F51 building in the seaside town of Folkestone contains three skateparks that are stacked on top of each other.

Jake Dyson wearing an air-purifying visor on a London Underground tube
Dyson launched a set of noise-cancelling headphones with an air-purifying visor

This week saw British technology company Dyson unveil a set of noise-cancelling headphones with an air-filtering visor.

Named the Dyson Zone, the company's first wearable device caused confusion in the British press with UK newspaper the Telegraph describing it as a "bizarre air-purifying mask" and the BBC calling it an "air vacuum for mouth".

The Explorer Capsule by PriestmanGoode
World View unveiled a balloon spacecraft

As space tourism continues to gain traction, exploration company World View unveiled a balloon-powered capsule designed by PriestmanGoode to take passengers 30,000 metres up to the edge of the Earth's atmosphere.

Set to begin flights in 2024, the hexagon-shaped pods would contain seats for eight passengers and two crew members.

Portrait of Amy Kulper, new Bartlett director
Amy Kulper was named director of The Bartlett

In London, change was taking place at the top of two of the city's leading architecture schools.

The Bartlett School of Architecture appointed Amy Kulper as its director, while the Architectural Association released a shortlist of five candidates for its director role following the dismissal of Eva Franch i Gilabert in 2020.

Polycarbonate-clad house in Yanakacho
KACH designed a Japanese house with polycarbonate screens

Popular projects this week included a house wrapped in polycarbonate screens in Japan, a bamboo welcome centre designed by Vo Trong Nghia Architects and the "invisible" restoration of Peter Womersley's High Sunderland house.

Our lookbooks this week focused on compact bedrooms that make the most of limited space and self-designed studios by architects and designers.

This week on Dezeen

This week on Dezeen is our regular roundup of the week's top news stories. Subscribe to our newsletters to be sure you don't miss anything.