It's Christmas eve, which means today we're featuring three projects in our bridge-themed A-Zdvent calendar! First up is the Xiying Rainbow Bridge in Taiwan – a simple bridge by day that transforms into a rainbow by night. More about Dezeen's A-Zdvent calendar: Xiying Rainbow Bridge
Here is a selection of some of the best Christmas cards we've received from architects, designers and brands this year, including a winter scene by MVRDV that shows Father Christmas lounging on top of the studio's sofa-like clubhouse in Amsterdam. More about Designer Christmas cards 2015
Built near the heart of Melbourne's historic brick-making district, this block of apartments and shops has walls of black bricks that are arranged to create perforated patterns and provide privacy for residents (+ slideshow). More about Ola Architecture Studio's housing block in Melbourne designed as an "ode to brick"
Wülser Bechtel Architekten has completed a male hair groomers in Zurich featuring a pair of sculptural mirrors and a floor that reveals traces of the building's history (+ slideshow). More about Sculptural mirrors frame spaces in Zurich barbershop by Wülser Bechtel Architekten
SHoP Architects has partnered with two nonprofit organisations to rebuild 50 public schools in areas of Nepal that were devastated by the April 2015 earthquake (+ slideshow). More about SHoP designs schools for earthquake-ravaged areas of Nepal
A trio of wavy bridges created by Dutch landscape firm West 8 in Toronto provide the letter W in our Christmas countdown of iconic contemporary bridges. More about Dezeen's A-Zdvent calendar: WaveDecks by West 8
Property developer Landream has unveiled designs by Zaha Hadid Architects for a 54-storey skyscraper in Melbourne, featuring a volume broken up into four curved segments. More about Zaha Hadid plans Melbourne skyscraper made up of stacked "vases"
Over 400 houses from all over the world have featured on Dezeen in the past year. Architecture editor Amy Frearson picks her top 10, including a transparent home in rural Japan, a top-heavy residence beside a Chilean lagoon, and a concrete property built behind crumbling walls of volcanic stone (+ slideshow). More about Dezeen's top 10 houses of 2015
Most Loved: Dutch designer Hella Jongerius reflects on the enduring popularity of her very first sofa design in the second movie from our exclusive new video series. More about Hella Jongerius' 2005 Polder Sofa for Vitra is a "collage of textiles"
A swimming pool with a glass bottom spans the void between two Parisian tower blocks in this proposal by architect Tommaso Bernabò Silorata, which aims to give swimmers a "vertiginous diving experience". More about Vertiginous pool proposed by Tommaso Bernabò Silorata between two matching skyscrapers
Dutch shoe designer Marloes ten Bhömer has created a conceptual shoe that replaces the traditional high heel with a slanted panel of stainless steel on the side. More about Marloes ten Bhömer's Bluepanelshoe is an alternative to conventional "clichéd" high heels
A trio of board-marked concrete volumes are stacked to create this holiday home by Luciano Kruk, which stands in the dunes of a golf course on the Argentinian coastline (+ slideshow). More about Board-marked concrete house by Luciano Kruk stands on a seaside golf course
Architecture studio Morphosis and landscape architect James Corner Field Operations are among the four teams that have been shortlisted to redesign one of Los Angeles' oldest public parks. More about Four finalists announced for revamp of Pershing Square in downtown LA
Opinion: municipal architects helped create some of 20th-century Europe's best cityscapes and buildings, says Owen Hatherley. It's time for them to return. More about "Wouldn't buildings be better designed by people who lived in the city where they practiced?"
A bicycle made from oak, a light-reflective spray and a minimal compass that pairs with a smartphone app are among Dezeen social media editor Ross Bryant's favourite cycling-related designs this year. More about Dezeen's top 10 cycling designs of 2015
Heatherwick Studio has unveiled plans for a vast tree-covered development beside Shanghai's art district, which will feature a large wedge-shaped block modelled on a mountain. More about Heatherwick reveals Shanghai complex envisaged as "two tree-covered mountains"
Comments update: readers are reacting to Japan's selecting of Kengo Kuma's wooden design for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic stadium and Zaha Hadid's controversial decision to speak out against it. More about "Somewhere between the two is a brilliant stadium"
The third bridge by Santiago Calatrava in the Dezeen A-Zdvent calendar is the Campo Volantin Footbridge in Bilbao, a curved and arched structure with a surface of glass bricks. More about Dezeen's A-Zdvent calendar: Campo Volantin Footbridge by Santiago Calatrava
Competition: Dezeen has teamed up with conservation group the Twentieth Century Society to offer five readers the chance to win a guide to London's Brutalist architecture. More about Competition: five Brutalist London Maps to be won
The tilted frame of the house by Budi Pradono Architects was designed as an antithesis to the status homes and mock-European styling of a gated community in Jakarta, Indonesia (+ slideshow). More about Budi Pradono's leaning house in Jakarta built as a "symbol of anti-establishment"