Dezeen Wire: the organisers of Paris design show Maison & Objet have announced Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka as this year's Now! Design à Vivre Creator of the Year. An exhibition of his Crystalized Project will be held at the fair from 20 to 24 January 2012. More about Tokujin Yoshioka announced as Creator of the Year at Maison & Objet
Dezeen Wire: rapper Kanye West has announced via his Twitter feed - @kanyewest - that he is to launch a design company named DONDA, which will be formed of creative thinkers from different industries.
The musician claims to be assembling a team that will include architects, designers and directors and has appealed for anyone interested to contact him at [email protected].
Click here to see more stories about Kanye West, including renders of his apartment from five years ago.
More about Kanye West to launch design company
Dezeen Wire: the Board of the Venice Architecture Biennale have confirmed that British architect David Chipperfield will curate the architecture sector of this year's exhibition, as reported on Dezeen Wire back in November, while Italian film critic Alberto Barbera will direct the cinema sector. More about David Chipperfield and Alberto Barbera confirmed as curators of 2012 Venice Biennale
Dezeen Wire: New York Times critic Alice Rawsthorn previews the design highs and lows of the coming year, including Thomas Heatherwick's new double-decker bus for London (high) and the logo for the 2012 Olympic games (low) - New York Times
Dezeen Wire: Jonathan Ive, senior vice president of industrial design at Apple, has been awarded a KBE on the 2012 New Year Honours list, published today, for services to design and enterprise.
Australian designer Marc Newson has been awarded a CBE for services to design in the UK and worldwide.
Architect John McAslan and founder of Open-City Victoria Thornton were both awarded an OBE for services to architecture.
See all our stories about Marc Newson ».
See all our stories about Apple »
Dezeen Wire: Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta has died at the age of 80. He was awarded the Praemium Imperiale earlier this year.
Norwegian architects Snøhetta have submitted plans for a Maggie’s Centre to provide cancer care facilities in Aberdeen, Scotland. More about Snøhetta unveil proposals for Maggie’s Centre in Aberdeen
English Heritage has announced that the 1986 Lloyd's of London building designed by Richard Rogers is to be given Grade I listed status. More details on the Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners website.
More about Lloyd's of London by Richard Rogers to be given Grade I listing
Dezeen Wire: a team of Dutch designers including Hella Jongerius, architect Rem Koolhaas and graphic designer Irma Boom have been selected to re-design the North Delegates’ Lounge at the United Nations headquarters in New York. More about Hella Jongerius and Rem Koolhaas to design United Nations delegates lounge
Dezeen Wire: a prototype of Thomas Heatherwick's redesign for the iconic Routemaster bus was unveiled in London this morning. More about New Bus for London by Heatherwick Studio
Dezeen Wire: retail expert Mary Portas has published a report on the future of the high street. The review was commissioned by the British government. Read the full report here or check a summary of Portas' 28 recommendations here.
See all our stories about retail »
More about The Portas Review investigates the future of high streets
Dezeen Wire: Dutch architects MVRDV have received threatening emails and angry phone calls after revealing proposals for skyscrapers that resemble the exploding World Trade Centre on 9/11.
We published the project first on Dezeen, prompting outrage from many of our readers. One declared the images “insensitive and offensive” while another claimed “this is like 9/11 freeze framed”. More about "Exploding" twin towers by MVRDV cause outrage
Dezeen Wire: Grafik magazine is to cease publication once again. The graphic design magazine only reopened under new ownership in February this year after its previous owners went into administration in June 2010.
Read a statement from the magazine's editorial team and owners Woodbridge & Rees here and read critic Rick Poynor's take on the news here.
More about Grafik magazine closes again
Dezeen Wire: architect Steven Holl has been named as the winner of this year's AIA Gold Medal. See all our stories about his work here. More about Steven Holl named 2012 AIA Gold Medal Winner
British architect Terry Farrell has unveiled conceptual proposals to convert London’s Battersea Power Station into a park, which oppose existing plans for a mixed-used development by New York architect Rafael Viñoly. More about Farrells releases alternative proposals for Battersea Power Station
Dezeen Wire: in this movie filmed by cultural collective Pacific Standard Time, rapper Ice Cube explains his love of architecture and how the work of renowned architects Charles and Ray Eames inspires him. More about Ice Cube Celebrates the Eames
Dezeen Wire: British designer Tom Dixon has partnered with Ambra Medda and Martina Mondadori to announce the launch of MOST, a new centre of activity at the Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia during the Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan next April. More about Tom Dixon to launch MOST at Milan 2012
Dezeen Wire: the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat in Chicago have published a report predicting the 20 tallest buildings in the world by the year 2020, including eight over 600 metres high. Read the full online report here. More about "Entering the era of the megatall" - the 20 tallest buildings by 2020
Dezeen Wire: The Portland Public Service Building by Michael Graves & Associates has been added to the USA's National Register of Historic Places. More about The Portland Building by Michael Graves added to National Register of Historic Places
A sci-fi animation in which a downtrodden robot workforce battles with police against a backdrop of dystopian architecture is one of the winners of the RIBA President’s Medals Student Awards, announced this evening. More about RIBA President’s Medals Student Awards 2011