News: Zaha Hadid Architects director Patrik Schumacher has called for the abolition of state-funded arts schools, branding them "an indefensible anachronism". More about "Stop all public funding" for arts schools says Patrik Schumacher
News: a concert hall with a spiky roof in Poland and a terracotta winery buried beneath an Italian vineyard are among the five finalists in the running for the European Union's 2015 architecture prize – the Mies van der Rohe Award (+ slideshow). More about Mies van der Rohe Award 2015 finalists announced
Waterfalls, rainbow-coloured latticework and bright red cycle lanes feature among proposals for a new bridge across London's River Thames to rival Thomas Heatherwick's Garden Bridge (+ slideshow). More about Over 70 designs unveiled for another new bridge across London's River Thames
Design Indaba 2015: the design industry has lost touch with its social and cultural values and is producing "too much shit design", according to Hella Jongerius. More about Hella Jongerius calls for "new holistic approach to design"
News: a new smartwatch from Pebble that promises seven days of battery life has reached its $500,000 Kickstarter goal in less than 20 minutes. More about Pebble Time smartwatch breaks Kickstarter records with Morem funding in one hour
News: Swedish car manufacturer Volvo has revealed plans to test 100 self-driving vehicles on city streets with members of the public by 2017. More about Volvo announces "one-of-a-kind" public tests for self-driving cars
News: a proposal to carve a cultural centre out of the landscape has won the UNESCO design contest for a Bamiyan Valley site where two seventh-century statues of Buddha were destroyed by Taliban militants. More about UNESCO unveils winning cultural centre design for heritage site in war-torn Afghanistan
News: MVRDV has been granted planning approval to overhaul a 1970s complex in Paris, which includes adding a new facade of colourful stacked boxes to an existing shopping centre. More about MVRDV wins approval for Vandamme Nord shopping centre facelift in Paris
News: SO-IL and FREAKS freearchitects have together won a competition to redesign a glass museum, workshop and gallery on the site of an 18th-century glass factory in north-east France. More about SO-IL and FREAKS to redesign glass museum on French-German border
News: residents of one of the tallest residential skyscrapers in the world have been gradually returning to their homes after a fire that caused more than a thousand people to be evacuated. More about Fire devastates Dubai's 336-metre Torch skyscraper
News: images have emerged of a replacement for the stalled Pinnacle skyscraper in London, which will now be demolished following a deal believed to be worth £300 million. More about Leaked designs reveal replacement for London's part-built Pinnacle skyscraper
News: Ferrari has released images of a concept racing car that the Italian manufacturer envisions as a possible future for Formula One. More about Ferrari unveils "aggressive-looking" Formula One concept car
Business news: the UK government has finally set a date for the introduction of its new copyright protection law, making it illegal to manufacture or sell copies of mass-produced designs after 2020. More about UK government sets 2020 deadline to end replica furniture production
News: Google's self-driving car, Frank Gehry's Fondation Louis Vuitton building (pictured) and Konstantin Grcic's Man Machine furniture are among the 76 projects nominated for the Designs of the Year awards 2015. More about Designs of the Year 2015 nominees announced
Business news: architecture critic Ellis Woodman has been appointed director of the London-based Architecture Foundation. More about Architecture Foundation names critic Ellis Woodman as new director
News: Sony has announced that it will make its augmented reality eyewear prototype available for developers, following news that Google pulled sales of its own headset last month (+ movie). More about Sony to release SmartEyeglass devices next month
News: Foster + Partners has released photographs of its new Apple store in Hangzhou – one of five new shops that the company is opening in China ahead of Chinese New Year (+ slideshow). More about Foster + Partners completes Apple store in Hangzhou, China
News: Apple has been granted a patent for a wireless headset that mounts an iPhone in front of the eyes, hinting at the company's expansion into virtual reality. More about Apple wins patent approval for wireless virtual reality headset
News: the first image showing the "super-strength" copper-nickel skin that will clad Thomas Heatherwick's Garden Bridge has been unveiled, just 24 hours after the £175 million project was threatened by a legal challenge. More about New image shows "super-strength" cladding for Thomas Heatherwick's Garden Bridge
News: a "zero-emission" electric black taxi design has been approved to operate on London's roads and could replace the city's famous diesel-fuelled cabs (+ slideshow). More about London's first electric black cab approved for fare-paying passengers