Dezeen Watch Store: new content on our watch store blog includes an interview with the designers of the Activité watch, which they claim is the first to put smartwatch functionality in a traditional-looking Swiss timepiece. More about French designers create "first ever" analogue watch with built-in activity tracker
This modular honeycomb of wooden cells by a team of Belgian designers could provide a solution for people avoiding music festivals because they don't like sleeping in tents (+ slideshow). More about B-and-Bee camping concept proposes stackable sleeping cells for festivals
This community viewing platform and play area, designed by Hong Kong architects Olivier Ottevaere and John Lin, provides a loop that rises up to overlook rice terraces carved into the surrounding valleys (+ slideshow). More about Looping wooden viewing platform in China built by students in just six days
Oak chevron patterns the walls of this minimal concept store in northern Italy by Archiplan Studio (+ slideshow). More about Dori concept store by Archiplan Studio features a chevron wall
Vertical strips of travertine stone cover the facades of these apartment buildings in the Swiss village of Crans-près-Céligny by Group8asia, altering the appearance of the structures when viewed from different angles. More about Apartment buildings by Group8asia clad in strips of travertine stone
News: Chinese brand management conglomerate BlueFocus Communication Group is to acquire a majority stake in Fuseproject, the San Francisco industrial design studio headed by Yves Béhar. More about BlueFocus Communication Group to acquire Yves Béhar's Fuseproject design studio
News: London 2012 Olympics organisers have agreed an out-of-court settlement with American firm Atopia following a legal dispute over the iconic 2012 cauldron design by Thomas Heatherwick. More about Dispute over 2012 Olympic cauldron design settled out of court
News: architect Jane Duncan has been elected to become the next president of the Royal Institute of British Architects. More about Jane Duncan elected as next RIBA president
News: a new London gallery housing the collection of British artist Damien Hirst is set to open next spring in a row of converted and extended theatre warehouses by Caruso St John Architects. More about Caruso St John's gallery for Damien Hirst set for spring 2015 opening
Pheromones and aftershave are impregnated into these leather seats by Gigi Barker to evoke the sense of sitting on human flesh (+ slideshow). More about Gigi Barker's skin-covered seats are infused with bodily scents
Dezeen promotion: UK design show designjunction will return to London Design Festival from 18 to 21 September 2014, with an expanded space and an exclusive exhibition by Dezeen and MINI. More about Designjunction returns to London Design Festival in September 2014
Steven Holl responds to the critics that blasted his controversial extension to Charles Rennie Mackintosh's Glasgow School of Art, saying that adhering to their comments would have "ruined the design", in this series of movies about the building. More about Reacting to the critics would have "ruined" Glasgow School of Art building says Steven Holl
Each of the rooms of this irregularly shaped family house in Kobuchizawa, Japan, were planned by architect Kawashima Mayumi to face a different mountain or patch of woodland (+ slideshow). More about Kawashima Mayumi's House for Viewing Mountains frames seven different views
Young designers discussed the pros and cons of producing their own products and building their own brands at this year’s Blickfang designworkshop, led by Stefan Scholten of design duo Scholten & Baijings (+ movie). More about Blickfang designworkshop helps designers "think about themselves as a brand"
News: South Korea's tallest building, the Northeast Asia Trade Tower by American firm Kohn Pedersen Fox, has finally opened its doors. More about South Korea's tallest skyscraper opens – three years after completion
Paris studio Laplace has added two new wings to a cluster of disused farm buildings in the English countryside to create a new arts centre for contemporary gallery Hauser & Wirth (+ slideshow). More about Hauser & Wirth's Somerset gallery is housed within historic farm buildings
Quilted fabrics cover the seats and backs of chairs in this collection by German studio WertelOberfell for Polish brand Iker. More about WertelOberfell dresses Mannequin chairs in quilted upholstery
The small English seaside resort of Littlehampton has acquired yet another architectural gem, with this performance space and sheltered seating area by Flanagan Lawrence architects joining projects by Thomas Heatherwick, Asif Khan and Studio Weave (+ slideshow). More about Shell-shaped shelter by Flanagan Lawrence built on Littlehampton seafront
Los Angeles studio Bestor Architecture has completed a colourful new headquarters for Beats by Dre, following Apple's $3 billion acquisition of the headphones company (+ slideshow). More about Bestor Architecture uses primary colours in Beats by Dre headquarters