At least 11 firms have been invited to apply for the Barack Obama Presidential Library design contract in Chicago. More about Renzo Piano and Diller Scofidio + Renfro competing for Obama Presidential Library
A small writing studio designed by Aaron Neubert Architects on a hill in Los Angeles frames views of the Griffith Observatory and other landmarks through a room-sized picture window (+ slideshow). More about Black Box writing studio by ANX captures iconic Los Angeles views
Movie: in the next instalment from our exclusive video series with Julia Peyton-Jones, the Serpentine Gallery director recalls the difficulty in convincing Japanese architect Toyo Ito to design the gallery's 2002 summer pavilion. More about Toyo Ito "gulped" when asked to design the 2002 Serpentine Gallery Pavilion
Oak boards cover the chamfered entrance to this hair and beauty salon in Osaka, renovated by Okuwada Architects Office to look like a cave (+ slideshow). More about Okuwada gives Mook salon in Osaka an oak-panelled makeover
Dutch designer Nikki Gonnissen and artist Pieke Bergmans have created a series of flags for the 2015 Brazilian Design Biennial that reference the colours and shapes of buildings around the host city of Florianopolis. More about Thonik and Pieke Bergmans create flags based on Brazilian architecture for design biennial
Square concrete frames in different sizes create four layers of rooms for this house at the foot of Japan's Mount Rokkō by Y+M Design Office (+ slideshow). More about Slide House by Y+M Design Office comprises four layers of square concrete frames
Japanese architect Jo Nagasaka stripped away the walls of this inherited house in Tokyo, revealing an arrangement of timber columns that give the residence an unfinished appearance (+ slideshow). More about Jo Nagasaka knocks through the walls of a Tokyo house to reveal its aged structure
London Design Festival 2015: Norwegian design studio Kneip has created a set of four functional sculptures that measure and report on weather conditions (+ movie). More about Kneip designs Weathered series of sculptural atmospheric sensors
New flat-pack pieces from St Louis-based furniture company Artifox include a vertical bike rack and a standing desk with a writable surface (+ slideshow). More about Artifox unveils quick-assembly wood furniture that ships in flat-pack boxes
Fashion designer Pauline van Dongen has created a coat for workers on the Wadden Sea World Heritage site, with detachable solar panels on the pockets for charging electronic devices (+ slideshow). More about Pauline van Dongen’s Solar Parka charges electronic devices for nature reserve workers
Our most visited story last week was about an installation of 100,000 white balloons at Covent Garden in London. Stories about the child-friendly inflatables are always popular on Dezeen so we've assembled our all-time top ten balloon posts, including a bridge, an airship and a levitating bench. More about Dezeen's ten most popular stories about design with balloons
A Southern California landscape architect is questioning why Frank Gehry was chosen to lead the masterplanning effort for the Los Angeles River redevelopment, citing a lack of expertise and public input. More about Gehry's selection as LA River masterplanner sparks criticism
London architecture studio Feilden Fowles has revealed plans for a visitors' centre with rammed-earth walls in Europe's largest modern and contemporary sculpture park. More about Feilden Fowles plans rammed-earth visitors' centre for Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Dutch architecture studio GAAGA has completed a three-winged wooden tea house in Leiden, the Netherlands, featuring large windows on all sides to allow panoramic views of the surrounding park (+ slideshow). More about GAAGA uses prefabricated wooden walls to build "three-legged" tea house in a Dutch park
IKEA is inviting consumers in Belgium to recycle their old catalogues into stuffing for a geometrically patterned cushion designed by Charles Kaisin. More about Shredded IKEA catalogues used to stuff Charles Kaisin's Küss cushions
Rafael Viñoly's Walkie Talkie skyscraper in London, which has so far melted cars and been blamed for powerful downdraughts, has been named the worst building in the UK this year. More about Walkie Talkie wins 2015 Carbuncle Cup for worst UK building
The triangular window bays that project from the facade of this Sydney housing block by MHN Design Union appear either red or yellow, depending on the viewing angle (+ slideshow). More about Sydney apartment block by MHN Design Union appears to change colour
London Design Festival 2015: an exhibition by Swedish gardening house Coloni and trend forecaster Studio Aikieu will celebrate the potential of "undesirable" and wild-growing species in towns and cities. More about Coloni and Studio Aikieu celebrate weeds with Plants Out Of Place exhibition
Seoul architecture studio AIN Group has built a three-metre-wide house for three residents in one of the city's most densely populated districts. More about Three-metre-wide house in Seoul by AIN Group accommodates three individual residents
Znameni Ctyr Architekti has replaced a run-down mountain chalet in the Czech Republic with a similar but more contemporary version that leans outward as if about to fall over (+ slideshow). More about Znameni Ctyr completes a contemporary chalet in the Krkonoše mountains