Nothing blends indoor and outdoor space like a courtyard. This week's roundup of images from Pinterest celebrates some of the best examples, from a Japanese house built around a family's beloved tree, to the open-air courtyard of an apartment block in one of LA's densest neighbourhoods. More about 10 buildings with courtyard living spaces
Globalisation isn't killing the USA's backwater cities and rural areas, but rather turning them into escapes for wealthy "digirati" who are pumping money into regeneration projects, says Aaron Betsky in response to a New York Times article. More about "America's hinterlands now serve as playgrounds for the few wired haves"
Kitchenware brand Joseph Joseph has launched a tool for cutting, de-stoning and slicing avocados – intended to make "avocado hand" injuries a thing of the past. More about Joseph Joseph releases tool to help prevent "avocado hand" injuries
Dezeen had another record-breaking year in 2017, increasing unique visitors and visits by 11 per cent and winning a host of awards. Thanks to all our readers! More about "Unstoppable" Dezeen had its best-ever year in 2017 with 53 million visits
British studio Design Engine has won an invited competition against Foster + Partners to design the new UK headquarters for Formula One car designers Gordon Murray Design. More about Design Engine unveils headquarters for Formula One's Gordon Murray Design
This family home by Narch is crafted from concrete slabs, steel columns and sliding glazing that permits views out over a Spanish nature reserve. More about Sliding glass doors open concrete house by Narch to views of national park near Barcelona
Paris-based design firm AC/AL Studio has created a table and chair set for Petite Friture with forms influenced by the practice of martial arts. More about AC/AL Studio creates martial arts-inspired table and chair set for Petite Friture
As part of its renovation of a small terraced house in Ghent, Belgian architects Fragmenture inserted a central triangular volume that houses the kitchen, laundry and storage spaces. More about Fragmenture inserts wedge-shaped storage volume into small terraced house in Ghent
Yves Behar's design studio Fuseproject has created a cube-shaped indoor security camera that detaches from its base, which will launch at the Consumer Electronics Show next week. More about Yves Behar debuts Hive View home security camera at CES
Argentinian firm Besonías Almeida has built a house in Buenos Aires around existing foliage, using board-formed concrete and dark laminated timber panels. More about Concrete house in Buenos Aires by Besonías Almeida fits among mature trees
Our next Dezeen x MINI Living video explores a modular urban farming system called Growmore, which allows people living in cities to build mini gardens from a series of simple plywood planters. More about Urban gardening system Growmore helps city dwellers build mini local farms
This week's Dezeen Mail features renderings of what London's skyline could like with the arrival of 13 new skyscrapers, and looks at the best buildings completing over the next year, including a Beijing skyscraper by Zaha Hadid Architects. Subscribe to Dezeen Mail ›
More about Latest Dezeen Mail offers a look at London's skyline in 2026 and previews the new buildings of 2018
Scent and coloured lights could be used to reduce aggression in city streets, according to a crowd-behaviour expert who spoke at Dezeen's talk about design and terrorism at Dutch Design Week 2017. More about Eindhoven pioneers use of scent and light to "influence the behaviour of people" in crowds
Architecture firm BIG is working on yet another project for Google, this time a pair of offices blocks with ramping roofs in Sunnyvale, California. More about BIG and Google team up for terraced offices in Sunnyvale
American firm Cannon Design has largely avoided right angles while designing this medical facility near San Diego, resulting in a building defined by curvilinear forms and surfaces. More about Cannon Design creates sculptural glass hospital in southern California
A brutalist megastructure in Seoul is undergoing a major revamp. The result may not be photogenic, says Owen Hatherley, but it offers a promising model for regeneration without gentrification. More about "What is happening at Sewoon Sangga is, quietly, quite extraordinary"
Melbourne residents are protesting Apple's plans to build a Foster + Partners-designed flagship store in Federation Square. More about Outcry over plans for Apple Store in Melbourne's publicly owned Federation Square
Nissan has developed new technology that allows vehicles to read the brain activity of drivers, and initiate movement in response. More about Nissan's latest technology allows cars to respond to drivers' brainwaves
People's Architecture Office has completed a modular cultural centre in the Chinese city of Yantai, featuring a prefabricated metal structure and portable rooms that can be detached and cycled to other locations. More about Prefabricated and mobile components combine to form The People's Station cultural centre
Alt Arkkitehdit has completed a bright red storage shed for oil-spill equipment in northern Finland, featuring a full-width clerestory window that projects from the facade to protect it from damage by forklift trucks. More about Oil-spill recovery unit in Finland is illuminated by angled clerestory window