Dezeen Wire: the famous tower nicknamed Big Ben at the Houses of Parliament, which is officially called the Palace of Westminster, in London is to be renamed Elizabeth Tower in honour of the queen's 60 year-reign. - BBC
Dezeen Wire: the final steel beam has been put in place at Four World Trade Center, the first rebuilt tower on the site of the September 11 attacks in New York City. The 298-metre, 72-storey tower was designed by Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki and has been under construction since 2008.
Ground Zero is also home to two fountains sunk into the site of the former Twin Towers, designed by architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker. Watch an animation of the the fountains here.
The unfinished Freedom Tower nearby is already the tallest building in the city, set to reach 1,776 feet on completion.
See more stories about New York »
More about Four World Trade Center tops out
Dezeen Wire: this weekend The Sunday Times featured us in their Home section's top-ten interior sites, describing Dezeen as "indispensable". Read the full article here.
Dezeen Wire: architect Zaha Hadid said governments should not use austerity as an excuse for building cheap housing, hospitals and public buildings in an interview at the Cannes International Festival of Advertising this week - The Guardian
Hadid was made a dame for her services to architecture last week when the Queen’s 2012 Birthday Honours list was announced.
See all our stories about Zaha Hadid »
More about "Zaha Hadid says austerity is not an excuse for low-quality housing" - The Guardian
News: the V&A museum in London is to open a new permanent gallery to display over 200 pieces from its collection of furniture spanning 600 years. More about V&A museum to open new permanent furniture gallery
Dezeen Wire: designers and architects using AutoCAD have been targetted by a virus that steals plans for new buildings and products and emails them to China, according to an internet security firm - Telegraph
More about "Espionage virus sent blueprints to China" - Telegraph
Dezeen Wire: design show Biennale Interieur 2012 will take place in Kortrijk, Belgium, from 20 to 28 October 2012 and Dutch company Organisation in Design is calling for entries to Ventura Interieur, a city-wide satellite program of shows in collaboration with the biennale. More about Call for entries to Ventura Interieur at Biennale Interieur 2012
Dezeen Wire: a European copycat version of American design flash-sales site Fab, called Bamarang, has been dropped by its founders Rocket Internet - Bloomberg Businessweek
Fab responded to the launch of Bamarang in January by taking over another European clone, Casacanda, and using it to launch in eighteen EU countries since mid February. Yesterday the company announced a take-over of UK rival llustre.com, now Fab UK.
More about Design flash-sales site Bamarang closes down
Dezeen Wire: Austrian architect Günther Domenig, one of the founding partners of Graz studio Domenig & Wallner, has passed away at the age of 77.
He most famously designed the Z-bank in Vienna, as well as his own house at Lake Ossiach. More about Günther Domenig (1934-2012)
Dezeen Wire: just two months after launch, flash-sales site llustre.com has been taken over by American rival Fab to become Fab UK. More about llustre.com becomes Fab UK
Dezeen Wire: sportswear brand Adidas has withdrawn plans to produce a pair of trainers with shackle-like ankle cuffs following complaints that they represent a symbol of slavery - Guardian More about Adidas withdraws shoes with shackles
Dezeen Wire: architect Zaha Hadid has been awarded a DBE (Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the Queen's 2012 Birthday Honours list for services to architecture.
Jewellery designer Lara Bohinc has been awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for services to the fashion industry.
See all our stories about Zaha Hadid »
See our earlier story about Lara Bohinc's London store »
Dezeen Wire: British architecture magazine Building Design has invited the public to nominate the worst buildings constructed in the UK in the last year for the seventh annual Carbuncle Cup award.
Already on the list is restored tea clipper the Cutty Sark, which was widely criticised when it was completed back in April, but the favourite is the ArcelorMittal Orbit, the 115 metre-high bright red sculpture at the London 2012 Olympic park. More about Architects vote to find Britain's worst building of the year
Dezeen Wire: Dutch landscape architect Dirk Sijmons has been appointed curator of the sixth International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam. More about Dirk Sijmons to curate International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam
Dezeen Wire: the British Council has announced the International Architecture and Design Showcase 2012, a season of exhibitions, installations, lectures and films at 50 international embassies and British cultural institutions across London to coincide with the London 2012 Olympics.
It will begin with the London Festival of Architecture on 23 June and end with the London Design Festival on 23 September.
Dezeen and writer/curator Beatrice Galilee will host Designed in Hackney Day on 1 August featuring Hackney design-themed talks, walks and workshops at Hackney House in Shoreditch. Read more about the day here and see our showcase of design and architecture from the borough here.
See all our stories about London 2012 » More about British Council announces International Architecture and Design Showcase 2012
Dezeen Wire: French architect Jean Nouvel is designing a new outpost of international art dealer Gagosian Gallery at Le Bourget, an industrial suburb to the north of Paris. More about Jean Nouvel to design new Gagosian Gallery in north Paris
Dezeen Wire: architects Broadway Malyan have unveiled plans to build a city for 100,000 inhabitants in Brazil. More about Broadway Malyan design city for 100,000 inhabitants
Dezeen Wire: Guardian journalist Jeevan Vasagar discusses the privatisation of public space in the UK and how paths, square and parks are increasingly owned by private companies - Guardian
More about "Public spaces in Britain's cities fall into private hands" - Guardian
Dezeen Wire: the Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture and Design in Moscow has launched a publishing house called Strelka Press. Based in London and Moscow, it will offer printed books and e-books.
Strelka's publishing director Justin McGuirk talks about new platforms for long-form writing and the future of design criticism in the interview we filmed at Dezeen Studio (below). More about Strelka launch new publishing house
Dezeen Wire: David Chipperfield and Long & Kentish are to design a new restaurant and bar for friends of London's Royal Academy of Arts. More about Chipperfield and Long & Kentish design friends' rooms at the Royal Academy