News: the Design Museum in London has defended its decision to give its Designs of the Year top prize to a Zaha Hadid building in Azerbaijan, following widespread criticisms of the award on human rights grounds. More about Designs of the Year prize "about architecture rather than politics" says Design Museum director
Fresh loaves and sugary treats are presented alongside wooden surfaces, ceramic tiles and plants at this renovated bakery in Kiryu, Japan, by architecture studio SNARK (+ slideshow). More about Style Bakery by SNARK features tiled walls and oak shelving
An architecture graduate from the University of Westminster has designed a temporary plywood "temple" for the Burning Man festival in Nevada's Black Rock Desert. More about Josh Haywood creates temporary "temple" out of plywood for Burning Man Festival
A collective of emerging Italian designers has worked with artisans to create a range of terracotta objects (+ slideshow). More about FID celebrates native Italian material with Terracotta Everyday collection
A stripy facade modelled on a skyline bounds the circular campus of this Melbourne primary school, designed by Australian firm McBride Charles Ryan to reference walled cities around the world (+ slideshow). More about Stripy Melbourne school by McBride Charles Ryan mirrors the local skyline
Architect Zaha Hadid has described her Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, Azerbaijan as an "incredible achievement" while project architect Saffet Kaya Bekiroglu said the project expressed the "soft, romantic side" of Azeri culture (+ interview + movie). More about Heydar Aliyev Center was "an incredibly ambitious project" says Zaha Hadid
News: Spanish office Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos has won a competition to design a woodland cultural centre for the organisation run by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, after claiming their proposal won't involve felling a single tree (+ slideshow). More about Nieto Sobejano scores Estonian cultural centre for composer Arvo Pärt
London Design Festival 2014: crystal brand Swarovski and organisers of the London Design Festival have cancelled an installation of flying drones planned for this year's event over fears for "safety of members of the public". More about Drone installation for London Design Festival cancelled due to safety concerns
Two Mercedes-Benz cars appear to soar through the sky in British designer Gerry Judah's latest installation for the Goodwood auto show (+ movie). More about Gerry Judah's arcing sculpture suspends Mercedes cars above Goodwood crowds
Dezeen Guide: July is traditionally a quiet month on the design calendar, but this year there are events in the Dominican Republic (pictured), the south of France, London and more. More about Dezeen Guide update: July 2014
News: New York studio The Living has completed this year's MoMA PS1 gallery pavilion – a cluster of circular towers built from bricks that have been grown from corn stalks and mushrooms (+ slideshow). More about Tower of "grown" bio-bricks by The Living opens at MoMA PS1
Inside Festival 2014: the shortlist of interior design projects for this year's Inside Awards has been revealed, and includes a London apartment with a floating steel staircase, a museum and gallery in Tasmania and a Roberto Cavalli concept store in Bangkok. More about Inside Awards 2014 shortlist announced
Charred timber clads this woodland hideaway that Czech studio Uhlik Architekti has built on top of a large boulder within a forest clearing in central Bohemia (+ slideshow). More about Forest Retreat by Uhlik Architekti rests on a boulder in a Bohemian wood
A spiralling staircase with a stripy central balustrade unites the refurbished spaces of this city hall in the French commune of Le Pré Saint-Gervais by Paris firm Zoomfactor Architectes. More about Zoomfactor Architectes updates a city hall with a spiralling staircase
These quilted stools by Swiss designer Véronique Baer squish down when sat on and bounce back up when the sitter stands up (+ movie). More about Bounce stools by Véronique Baer spring back into shape
Columns arranged in V formations support the overhanging roof of this idyllic seaside residence in Chile, which offers occupants panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean (+ slideshow). More about Casa Rambla by LAND Arquitectos faces out over the Pacific Ocean
News: architect Zaha Hadid's undulating Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku has been named Design of the Year by London's Design Museum this evening. More about Zaha Hadid's Heydar Aliyev Center wins Design of the Year 2014
Royal College of Art graduate Yu-Chang Chou has developed a "return and reuse" packaging system to help online retailers reduce waste (+ movie). More about Yu-Chang Chou develops a reusable packaging service for sustainable online shopping
Cape Town architect Mark Thomas and engineer Henry Fagan have completed a sinuous wooden walkway that meanders through the treetops of a botanical garden on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain (+ slideshow). More about Boomslang walkway by Mark Thomas and Henry Fagan extends over a forest canopy
Lego Minifigures can be hacked to create holders for iPhone charging cables, Sugru users have discovered. More about Lego Minifigures hacked with Sugru to create iPhone cable holders