News: Danish architect Henning Larsen is among the five laureates of the Praemium Imperiale arts prize, awarded annually by the Japan Art Association. More about Henning Larsen awarded Praemium Imperiale
In the final movie we filmed with Reinier de Graaf of OMA at the Venice Architecture Biennale, he discusses the firm's fascination with architecture of the late 1960s and how there is an "inherent paradox between the brutal appearance of these buildings and the social mission that they were part of." More about "An underdose of utopia can be as dangerous as an overdose" - Reinier de Graaf
Japanese designers Nendo have built an enormous woodland nesting box with 78 entrances for birds on one side and one big door for humans on the other (+ slideshow). More about Bird-apartment by Nendo
News: the New York Times has published a scathing news report about the 13th Venice Architecture Biennale, claiming "the less said, the better."
The article declares the theme of "Common Ground," chosen by director David Chipperfield, to be "a missed opportunity" to draw attention away from "glamorous buildings and celebrated designers" towards "broader issues like urbanism, public space, social responsibility and collaboration." More about Venice Architecture Biennale is "missed opportunity" - New York Times
Photographer Jamie Young is compiling an archive to document the history of water towers in Ireland. More about Water Towers of Ireland by Jamie Young
Budapest architects MARP have replaced the missing corner of a ruined Renaissance palace with a Corten steel lookout point. More about Reconstruction of the Szatmáry Palace by MARP
Reinier de Graaf of OMA talks to Dezeen about "architecture with a degree of social conscience" by anonymous local authority architects in France and Italy in the second of three movies we filmed at the firm's Public Works exhibition at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2012. More about Reinier de Graaf of OMA presents "architecture with a social conscience"
Dezeen News: a British and American proposal for a new district built around manmade waterways has been selected as part of a masterplan to double the size of Moscow in the next few decades. More about Moscow set to double in size with new masterplan for city expansion
A perforated metal box encases the concrete visitor centre for the Atapuerca archaeological site in northern Spain by architects a3gm and Mata y asociados (+ slideshow). More about Centro de Recepción de Visitantes, Atapuerca by a3gm + Mata y asociados
In the first of three movies filmed at the Venice Architecture Biennale, Reinier de Graaf of OMA talks about Pimlico School, a brutalist building in London that was demolished last year and which features in OMA's Public Works exhibition of "masterpieces by bureaucrats" at the biennale. More about "Bloody fools, bloody fools"
Slovenian architects Kombinat have transformed a gloomy Alpine chalet into a contemporary home with concrete wings and timber shutters like a sliding puzzle (+ slideshow). More about House HV by Kombinat
Italian architects Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas have completed a school for hotel management in Montepellier, France, clad in anodized aluminum triangles and punctured by 5000 unique triangular windows. More about Lycée Georges Frêche by Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas
Eight huge wings resembling a cluster of duck feet form the roof of this theatre in Wuxi, to the west of Shanghai, designed by Finnish practice PES Architects (+ slideshow). More about Wuxi Grand Theatre by PES Architects
A covered courtyard has been inserted into the side of this Kurashiki house by Japanese firm TT Architects (+ slideshow). More about Sunset Villa by TT Architects
More bamboo: this floating tea house in Yangzhou, by Chinese architects HWCD Associates, features brick rooms linked by louvred bamboo corridors and brises soleil. More about Bamboo Courtyard Teahouse by HWCD Associates
Benthem Crouwel Architects have completed the new extension to the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, which looks rather like the underside of a kitchen sink (+ slideshow). More about Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam by Benthem Crouwel Architects
Dezeen News: the new owners of Battersea Power Station say their £8bn revamp of the site will begin in 2013, ending more than 25 years of speculation over the future of the London landmark. More about New owners of Battersea Power Station pledge to finally redevelop London landmark
Following yesterday's story about a skyscraper that resembles a pair of trousers (above), here are some more looky-likey towers including one that readers have compared to a stack of toilet rolls and another that looks like a sex toy. More about Five six towers with unfortunate likenesses
Dezeen News: architect Frank Gehry has donated $100,000 to the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) to endow a new annual prize for the best graduate thesis projects. More about Frank Gehry establishes SCI-Arc prize with 0,000 donation
In a movie Dezeen filmed at his Golden Lion-winning installation in collaboration with Justin McGuirk and Urban-Think Tank at the Venice Architecture Biennale, architectural photographer Iwan Baan talks about how residents have built their own homes between the columns and floor plates of the unfinished Torre David skyscraper in Caracas. More about Iwan Baan on "architecture without architects"