News: the rise of affordable 3D printers is sparking a boom in demand for personalised sex toys that can be ordered online or printed at home. More about Cheap 3D printers fuel home-printed sex toy "phenomenon"
News: the Kenyan government has commenced work on Konza Technology City, a £9.1 billion IT and business hub dubbed "Africa's Silicon Savannah". More about Kenyan silicon city under construction
News: plans for an apartment block of stackable modules have won a design competition for "micro-units" to help solve the shortage of small homes in Manhattan (+ slideshow). More about New York's "micro-units" housing competition winners announced
News: Nokia has become the first major manufacturer to give consumers access to its 3D design files so they can create their own versions of products, according to open design pioneer Ronen Kadushin. More about Nokia is "first global company to embrace open design"
News: the University of Minnesota has launched a new programme that could halve the time it takes for students to gain a licence to practise architecture in the United States. More about New course fast-tracks architectural education in USA
News: America's first fully digital public library without a single book is set to open this autumn in San Antonio, Texas, and will be based on the design of an Apple store. More about America's first bookless library to open in Texas
News: American Airlines has unveiled a new logo and livery for its aircraft, designed by brand consultancy FutureBrand. More about American Airlines debuts new logo and livery
News: Dutch architecture studio Universe Architecture is planning to construct a house with a 3D printer for the first time. More about Dutch architects to use 3D printer to build a house
News: French interior and product designer Andrée Putman has died in Paris aged 87. More about Andrée Putman 1925-2013
News: mobile phone maker Nokia has released open-source files that will let Lumia 820 smartphone users 3D print their own customised case. More about Nokia releases files for 3D printing mobile phone cases
News: American studio CODA has won this year's MoMA/PS1 Young Architects Program competition and will insert a wall made from skateboard offcuts into the courtyard of the PS1 Contemporary Art Centre in New York. More about Wall of skateboard offcuts wins MoMA/PS1 Young Architects Program 2013
News: the architect behind the competition-winning design for a new parliament in Baghdad has spoken out against "fashionable icon building" amid rumours that the Iraqi authorities are in discussions with Zaha Hadid, whose own design was placed third. More about Iraqi Parliament architect attacks "failure" of iconic buildings
News: the American Institute of Architects (AIA) has announced 28 winners of this year's Institute Honor Awards, including projects by OMA, BIG and Kohn Pedersen Fox. More about 2013 AIA Institute Honor Awards winners announced
News: American college student Tyler McNaney has invented a desktop machine that makes the raw materials for 3D printing by grinding up waste plastic from bottles, wrappers and even Lego bricks. More about Desktop recycling plant makes plastic for 3D printing
News: the Design Museum in London has announced the projects nominated for the Designs of the Year 2013, including the Olympic Cauldron by Thomas Heatherwick, The Shard by Renzo Piano (above) and the Little Printer by BERG. More about Designs of the Year 2013 shortlist announced
News: developers are building a private city on the outskirts of Guatemala City as a safe haven from the crime-ridden capital. More about Developers building crime-free private city outside Guatemalan capital
News: in 2012 the total number of skyscrapers constructed around the world failed to increase for the first time in six years, says the annual report from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, revealing the continued impact of the global financial crisis that started in 2007. More about Skyscraper construction stalled in 2012
News: British architect John Pawson has designed 26 high-end apartments for a new leisure complex at Miami Beach. More about John Pawson designs apartments for Miami Beach
News: the American architecture critic Ada Louise Huxtable, who won the first Pulitzer Prize for criticism, has died aged 91. More about Ada Louise Huxtable 1921-2013
News: Swiss architect Peter Zumthor is now inviting guests to rent a holiday home he built for his family in the mountain hamlet of Leis in Vals (+ slideshow). More about Zumthor lets his holiday home to guests