Dezeen Wire: architect Winy Maas of MVRDV and the studio's think tank The Why Factory will present 676 miniature LEGO towers at the Venice Architecture Biennale later this month for an exhibition to promote the inclusion of architectural discourse within European Union development policies. More about MVRDV's The Why Factory to show LEGO towers at Venice Architecture Biennale
Drivers crossing the border from Canada into the USA at Calais, Maine, would never know that there's a tranquil rock garden sandwiched between the checkpoint buildings designed by New York firm Robert Siegel Architects. More about United States Land Port of Entry in Calais by Robert Siegel Architects
Dezeen Wire: Dutch architect Wiel Arets has been appointed as dean of the College of Architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology. More about Wiel Arets Named Dean of IIT College of Architecture
A dormer window provides a first-floor observatory at this gabled lodge in the Czech Republic by A1 Architects of Prague. More about House on the Marsh by A1 Architects
Design collective Assemble and a team of volunteers have constructed a temporary theatre in West Sussex, England, out of scaffolding, chipboard and plastic pond liner (+ slideshow). More about Theatre on the Fly by Assemble
Construction is underway on a Olympic-themed museum in Tianjin, China, comprising five connected rings. More about Samaranch Memorial Museum by HAO and Archiland Beijing
This cross-shaped chapel in Brazil was designed by architect Gustavo Penna (+ slideshow). More about All Saints Chapel by Gustavo Penna
A staircase is extruded from the wooden shelves of a bookcase at this renovated house in Tuscany by Italian architects Sundaymorning and Massimo Fiorido Associati. More about House in a Pine Wood by Sundaymorning and Massimo Fiorido Associati
Guests can lounge amongst orange trees and a water basin in the secluded courtyard of this dreamy Portuguese guesthouse by Jordi Fornells and Rolf Heinemann of Vora Arquitectura (+ slideshow). More about Villa Extramuros by Vora Arquitectura
Dezeen Wire: the Royal Opera House in London has launched a competition to redesign the entrances and surrounding public spaces of its Covent Garden building, making it more accessible to the public. More about The Royal Opera House launches competition to redesign entrances
There are huge rectangular holes in the walls and floors of this Tokyo house by Japanese studio Hiroyuki Shinozaki Architects. More about House T by Hiroyuki Shinozaki Architects
A chunky bay window protrudes from this timber-clad addition to a house in Ontario by Canadian studio The Practice of Everyday Design (+ slideshow). More about Eden House by The Practice of Everyday Design
Dezeen Wire: Thomas Heatherwick has designed a distillery and visitor centre for gin brand Bombay Sapphire at an abandoned mill in Hampshire, England. More about Laverstoke Mill by Thomas Heatherwick for Bombay Sapphire
This gabled house in Italy by Austrian architects Casati has stripy wooden walls on the outside and bumpy limestone walls on the inside (+ slideshow). More about Casa Prè de Sura by Casati
This bright white wedge-shaped house by Spanish studio Fran Silvestre Arquitectos thrusts out from the rock face behind it in the valley town of Ayora, near Valencia (+ slideshow). More about Casa en la Ladera de un Castillo by Fran Silvestre Arquitectos
Narrow slits provide entrances to this circular pavilion by Belgian artist Wesley Meuris outside the Flemish town of Borgloon. More about Memento by Wesley Meuris
Dezeen Wire: in an article for Domus magazine, design critic Justin McGuirk examines the social and physical decline of London's social housing, discussing the part played by luxury real-estate developers and how architects have been held accountable. More about "The market cannot solve the housing crisis" - Justin McGuirk
Zaha Hadid has completed a streamlined concrete and glass building for three government departments in Montpellier, France (+ slideshow). More about Pierres Vives by Zaha Hadid
Movie: architect Piers Gough of CZWG and structural engineer Hanif Kara explain their design for Canada Water Library, a bronzed, hexagonal building on a constrained site in south London, in this movie by filmmakers Living Projects. More about Movie: Canada Water Library by CZWG
Dutch architecture firm UNStudio has designed a skyscraper for Singapore that looks like a cactus. More about V on Shenton by UNStudio