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?"
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"
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
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"
Zaha Hadid has accused Japanese authorities and architects of colluding over the Tokyo 2020 Olympic stadium project, and says that Kengo Kuma's replacement design has "remarkable similarities" to her own. More about Zaha Hadid accuses Japanese government and architects of collusion over Tokyo stadium
Japanese officials have selected a wooden lattice design by Kengo Kuma for the new National Stadium in Tokyo, which will be the centrepiece for the 2020 Olympics. More about Kengo Kuma beats Toyo Ito to win Japan National Stadium competition
A concrete window seat, geometric tiles and a storage wall made of wooden boxes feature inside this east London house that has been renovated and extended by local studio Mustard Architects (+ slideshow). More about Mustard Architects exploits corners and crevices in Nook House renovation
A steaming hot spring is screened behind bamboo shoots at this hotel near Beijing, which features seven new suites by local studio Elevation Workshop (+ slideshow). More about Elevation Workshop builds new bamboo cabins around the hot spring at Beijing hotel WHY
The Barack Obama Foundation has revealed the names of the seven architecture firms it is inviting to pitch for the official presidential library in Chicago. More about David Adjaye, Renzo Piano and Snøhetta among seven-strong shortlist for Obama Library
As we enter the final week of our festive bridge countdown, we're spotlighting a third bridge by London firm Wilkinson Eyre Architects – the University of Limerick Living Bridge in Ireland. More about Dezeen's A-Zdvent calendar: University of Limerick Living Bridge by Wilkinson Eyre
A pool with a stationary boat on top is the centrepiece of this rowing centre designed by Mulroy Architects for a private boarding school in Oxfordshire, England (+ movie). More about Mulroy Architects completes timber-clad rowing centre for Oxford school
Australian architect David Boyle chose recycled brick for this renovation and extension of a psychologist's house in Sydney, which creates a double-height living room, a mezzanine bedroom and a home office (+ slideshow). More about David Boyle uses reclaimed brick to build extension to a Sydney terrace
Belgian architecture studio V+ has completed a mesh-covered water tower that is supported by angled concrete columns. More about V+'s Chateau d'Eau water tower rests on crossed concrete struts
House-shaped rooms are connected by staircases and bridges inside this three-metre-wide house in Ho Chi Minh City, which was named House of the Year at the World Architecture Festival last month (+ slideshow). More about Saigon House by a21studio is filled with house-shaped rooms at different levels
The cubic construction of this house in Brasília by local studio Bloco Arquitetos reveals the layout of spaces inside and was influenced by a 1930s villa designed by Modernist architect Adolf Loos (+ slideshow). More about Bloco Arquitetos bases geometric Brazilian home on a classic Modernist residence
Amsterdam studio NL Architects has completed a waiting area for a station in the Dutch town of Barneveld, featuring glass walls and a large cantilevered roof (+ slideshow). More about Huge steel roof oversails glazed waiting area at Barneveld Centrum station by NL Architects
The next bridge featured in the Dezeen A-Zdvent calendar is almost invisible, sunken down below the surface of a moat outside a historic Dutch fort. More about Dezeen's A-Zdvent calendar: Trench Bridge by RO&AD
Burnt wood clads this gatehouse designed by NORD Architecture for a historic palace in southeast England – a reference to the storm that destroyed many of the estate's trees in 1987 (+ slideshow). More about NORD Architecture completes charred timber gatehouse for National Trust estate
We've recently published a lot of buildings clad in wood that has been charred using a Japanese technique called Shou Sugi Ban. These include a blackened garden studio in London and a rural Icelandic cottage that settles into the landscape. Visit our new Pinterest board for even more examples of burnt-wood facades.
Follow Dezeen on Pinterest | See more blackened wood in our archives
More about See charred wood facades on Dezeen's new Pinterest board
Barcelona studio BCQ chose translucent plastic panels for the walls of this municipal sports hall in Spain, giving the building an ethereal quality that helps it match the colours of the sky (+ slideshow). More about BCQ completes sports hall with translucent polycarbonate skin