A replica of the Palmyra Arch – a 2,000-year-old Syrian architectural landmark believed to have been destroyed by Islamic militant group ISIS – has been erected in London's Trafalgar Square. More about Replica of destroyed Syrian archway erected in London's Trafalgar Square
Opinion: initiatives like What Design Can Do's Refugee Challenge encourage designers to believe that they can solve international problems that go far beyond their reach, says Ruben Pater. More about "Treating the refugee crisis as a design problem is problematic"
Milan 2016: Studio Job has updated its collection of mosaic tiles for Italian brand Bisazza, including a range influenced by Britain's Industrial Revolution. More about Studio Job updates collection of mosaic tiles for Bisazza
Milan 2016: food and drinks giant PepsiCo is expanding its design team from 100 to 160 and opening studios around the world, following the success of its inaugural studio in New York (+ slideshow). More about PepsiCo to hire more designers to build "a critical mass of design people"
Milan 2016: New York designer Karim Rashid has created a set of aluminium bottles for drinks brand Pepsi, one of a series of megabrands that presented in Milan this year. More about Karim Rashid unveils Prestige Pepsi bottles and drinking accessories
Milan 2016: Chinese studio MAD Architects has created a door handle based on the shape of the firm's skyscrapers in Mississauga, Canada, which have been nicknamed the Marilyn Monroe Towers. More about MAD models Marilyn door handle on its curvaceous Canadian skyscrapers
Milan 2016: students from the Lund University have collaborated with the co-founder of Danish brand Hay to produce a range of experimental office furniture especially for small-scale workplaces (+ slideshow). More about Rolf Hay and Lund University students design alternatives to corporate office furniture
Milan 2016: in response to the vast amount of finished products on show at Milan design week, a group of graduates from Design Academy Eindhoven decided to exhibit only materials (+ slideshow). More about Design Academy Eindhoven graduates present "everything but the end product" in Milan
Milan 2016: plans for an oversized armchair that would be formed inside a growing tree trunk and a massive logo that changes colour with the seasons featured in Dutch designer Maarten Baas's New! Newer! Newest! exhibition (+ slideshow). More about Maarten Baas proposes tree-grown armchair at New! Newer! Newest! exhibition
New York's Museum of Modern Art is closing its architecture and design galleries for refurbishment, but the institution is unable to confirm that they will reopen in the same format. More about Future uncertain for MoMA's architecture and design galleries
Milan 2016: Italian design studio Tipic has created a smart kitchen countertop that integrates various interactive functions including a sink that appears out of the surface with a simple gesture (+ movie). More about Tipic's smart Tulèr kitchen features a sink that appears with the wave of a hand
Milan 2016: students at Design Academy Eindhoven no longer aspire to be famous designers and instead want to work in industry, according to designer Andrea Trimarchi of Formafantasma, who teaches at the school. More about Design Academy Eindhoven students no longer seek fame, says Andrea Trimarchi
Milan 2016: Dutch designer Bertjan Pot has created a colourful textile to upholster Cassina's Utrecht armchair, designed by Gerrit Rietveld in 1935. More about Bertjan Pot designs bespoke Jacquard textile for Cassina's iconic Utrecht armchair
Beverly Hills City Council has unanimously approved plans for a driverless-car programme that could replace the affluent Los Angeles neighbourhood's public transport system. More about Beverly Hills to replace public transport with self-driving cars
Milan 2016: students from Swiss university ÉCAL have collaborated with Germany furniture brand e15 to create objects based on the company's tooth-shaped Backenzahn stool, which was originally designed by co-founder Philipp Mainzer in 1996 (+ slideshow). More about ÉCAL students use wood offcuts to create objects based on e15 stool
Milan 2016: British designer Jasper Morrison's new collection for Swiss brand Vitra includes a modular sofa, a cubic-looking armchair and a simple plastic chair (+ slideshow). More about Jasper Morrison presents "super-normal" furniture collection for Vitra
Milan 2016: Italian furniture brand Magis has launched furniture and accessories by designers Konstantin Grcic, the Bouroullec brothers and Jerszy Seymour in Milan to mark the company's 40th anniversary (+ slideshow). More about Magis celebrates 40th anniversary with Milan furniture and accessory launches
Milan 2016: this cordless lamp generates its own electricity from bio ethanol, creating enough power to additionally charge a smartphone. More about Candela light by Francisco Gomez Paz combines eco-friendly fuel with LEDs and a phone charger
British artist Cornelia Parker has created an installation based on the mansion from Alfred Hitchcock's film Psycho for this year's Roof Garden commission at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (+ slideshow). More about Cornelia Parker installs Hitchcock-influenced PsychoBarn on Met museum rooftop
Milan 2016: product design students at Swiss university ÉCAL have collaborated with technology brand Punkt to make basic household electronics, such as a radio and a power plug, more intuitive (+ slideshow). More about ÉCAL students and Punkt update and simplify everyday electronic items