Italian practice Caret Studio has installed the StoDistante installation in an Italian square to encourage social distancing as a temporary solution for reactivating public spaces after Covid-19 lockdown ends. More about Caret Studio installs gridded social-distancing system inside Italian piazza
Architects and designers have been using seesaws, usually found in children's playgrounds, to create installations and make political statements. Here are six of the most engaging. More about Six seesaws designed outside of the playground
Dutch designer Maarten Baas has created a short satirical movie set in a future where Western society has suffered a dramatic decline and his works are found gathering dust in his warehouse. More about Maarten Baas creates video showing his designs as "silent witnesses to the limitless opulent world from the past"
There is not much time left to enter the Dezeen x Samsung Out of the Box Competition to design household objects made from repurposed cardboard packaging. The contest closes for entries at 23:59 BST on Friday 29 May. More about Last chance to enter Samsung and Dezeen's contest for innovative recycled cardboard designs
Hongik University graduate Jihye Kang built her Purity furniture from acrylic and stainless steel as an exploration of the refractive effects that can be achieved with simple materials and shapes. More about Jihye Kang creates refractive furniture from rows of acrylic rods
In week five of Virtual Design Festival we team up with former Archigram members Peter Cook and Dennis Crompton for an exclusive video series, plus our live Screentime interviews feature Rael San Fratello, Standard Architecture, Ben van Berkel and more. More about Archigram, Faye Toogood, Reiulf Ramstad and Rosey Chan feature at VDF this week
Recycled plastic and rubber make up this unisex trainer by Belgian brand Norm, which has set out to change the "nonsense" manufacturing process of a standard pair of shoes. More about Norm's 1L11 trainer produces 80 per cent less carbon than typical shoes
This modular chair collection by Thai design studio Kaoi takes cues from the 1980s Memphis Group, featuring four graphic armrests that can be mixed and matched to offer different aesthetic "personalities". More about Kaoi studio designs modular Ebba chairs based on Ettore Sottsass' Memphis movement
Architects, designers and cultural institutions, including Foster + Partners, Dyson and the V&A, have created educational activities for children to ward off the boredom of coronavirus lockdown. Here are five of the most entertaining. More about Architecture, design and engineering activities for children in lockdown
Week four of VDF featured Bar Basso, Studio Drift, Adam Nathaniel Furman, Sevil Peach, Bureau Spectacular, Arthur Mamou-Mani and much more! More about This week's VDF highlights included Carlo Ratti, Space Popular and Iris van Herpen plus a live drone performance and a cocktail masterclass
Today VDF has teamed up with Schloss Hollenegg for the virtual opening of an exhibition exploring the wilder side of nature, including a live tour of the historic castle later today. More about Walden exhibition at Schloss Hollenegg explores "our dysfunctional relationship with nature" says curator Alice Stori Liechtenstein
Designers Thomas Musca and Duyi Han have cast reinforced concrete into furniture with chunky angles and geometric voids that take cues from brutalist architecture. More about Squashed-looking concrete bench by Thomas Musca and Duyi Han references brutalist architecture
Designer Yinka Ilori shares what he's been doing to keep busy during the coronavirus lockdown in this video message recorded for Virtual Design Festival. More about Yinka Ilori has been making models and learning to play the Nigerian talking drum during lockdown
We're roughly one-third of the way through Virtual Design Festival, having completed 24 days of the 77-day marathon! With the VDF team taking a break today as its a holiday in the UK, here are the ten most popular VDF video posts so far. More about VDF's top 10 videos include Chris Precht and Alison Brooks plus Studio Drift's drone performance
In the last of our three exclusive video interviews for Virtual Design Festival, Iris van Herpen describes how she created the optical illusions in her Hypnosis collection, which includes a dress the Dutch fashion designer describes as her most complicated yet. More about "The Infinity dress is the most difficult I have ever made" says Iris van Herpen
Architects and designers are being asked to devise social-distancing devices to allow Milan's bars, shops and public spaces to reopen safely following the height of the coronavirus pandemic. More about Milan calls on architects and designers to create social-distancing devices
Dezeen Showroom: VDF products fair: designer Philippe Malouin has developed a collection of monochrome rugs for Italian brand CC-Tapis that replicates the irregularities of lines made by crayons. More about Philippe Malouin designs Lines rug collection for CC-Tapis to celebrate imperfection
Design studio SBGA Blengini Ghirardelli has created a concept for social distancing within parks, plus today's other design-related coronavirus news. More about C'entro is a fibreglass frame to help people social distance in public parks
In the second of our three exclusive video interviews with Iris van Herpen for Virtual Design Festival, the Dutch fashion designer explains how working with architects has informed her approach to textile design and led to her working on a full-scale museum extension last year. More about Architectural knowledge is "very useful for material development" in fashion says Iris van Herpen
California-based design and architecture studio M-Rad proposes using the natural antiviral properties of copper alloy to create a travelling Covid-19 testing unit. More about M-Rad designs mobile Covid-19 testing unit concept from "virus-destroying" copper