Opinion: dominated by old boys who think their view is the only one that matters, architecture academia in the US has become insular and out of touch, says Reinier de Graaf, who finds a perfect illustration in a recent debate at the Chicago Architecture Biennial. More about "Academics need to break out of their loop and get back into the real world"
Teams from MIT Media Lab and the Royal College of Art have used bacteria to design a "bio-skin" fabric that peels back in reaction to sweat and humidity (+ slideshow). More about MIT Media Lab's BioLogic material opens and closes in response to humidity
Competition: Dezeen has teamed up with Arckit to offer five readers the chance to win a model building set designed for architects, which was hailed as "posh Lego" when it launched earlier this year. More about Competition: five Arckit reusable architectural modelling sets to be won
World Architecture Festival 2015: bamboo could "revolutionise the building industry" and replace steel as the dominant reinforcing material, according to a professor who is working on new applications for the grass. More about Bamboo fibre is stronger and cheaper than steel, says Dirk Hebel
This umbrella-shaped street lamp by London designer Samuel Wilkinson has a crystal-covered canopy and allows passersby to leave augmented messages for their friends (+ slideshow). More about Samuel Wilkinson's Ommatidium sculpture offers kaleidoscopic views of the sky
World Architecture Festival 2015: a bamboo community centre in Vietnam, a concrete music school in Tokyo and a "vertical village" of apartment blocks in Singapore are among today's category winners at the World Architecture Festival. More about World Architecture Festival awards 2015 day one winners announced
Future Makers: advances in digital tools are enabling independent game developers to move into hardware as well as software, says Alex Fleetwood of start-up Sensible Object, which is developing a new hybrid game called Fabulous Beasts (+ movie). More about Indie developer Sensible Object merges physical and digital gameplay with Fabulous Beasts
Inside Festival 2015: a converted stable home featuring a treehouse-like bedroom and a hotel featuring a sculptural timber entrance are among the first category winners at this year's Inside Festival awards (+ slideshow). More about Inside Festival interior design awards 2015 day one winners announced
World Architecture Festival 2015: architect Peter Cook has attacked the redevelopment of King's Cross in London, describing the huge regeneration scheme as "boring, unbelievable, really dour". More about Peter Cook pans "awful" redevelopment of King's Cross
Chinese studio Neri&Hu has designed the interior of fashion brand Comme Moi's first flagship store, installing custom-made metal rails and cage-like cabinets (+ slideshow). More about Neri&Hu installs continuous clothing rail through Comme Moi flagship store
Dutch Design Week 2015: Design Academy Eindhoven graduate David Roman Lieshout's prototype bicycle has individually foldable components that help it fit into compact storage areas. More about David Roman Lieshout designs semi-foldable bicycle for small apartments
A bright orange wall screens a staircase that leads to a bathroom on top of this concrete house in Tokyo by Takuro Yamamoto Architects (+ slideshow). More about Concrete home by Takuro Yamamoto Architects overlooks an allotment and woods near Tokyo
Chicago Architecture Biennial 2015: An installation by the German firm Kuehn Malvezzi portrays its design for a religious building in Berlin that would contain a synagogue, church and mosque – all under one roof. More about Kuehn Malvezzi's House of One installation represents a house of prayer for three religions
London firm Jump Studios has renovated a 19th-century battery factory in Madrid to create the sixth Google Campus – a co-working space for entrepreneurs and start-up companies. More about Jump Studios completes Google co-working space in former Madrid battery factory
Dutch Design Week 2015: Design Academy Eindhoven graduate Bastiaan Buijs has designed a sex toy with a bright pink torso that can be mounted like a vaulting horse. More about Bastiaan Buijs' Satyr sex toy for men is a fleshlight-cum-furniture piece
Architects Elisabeth Scott and Giles Gilbert Scott are among notables included on the pages of the latest British passport, designed to celebrate the UK's creative and cultural contributions to the world (+ slideshow). More about UK creatives feature in updated British passport design
Comments update: the use of taxidermy in design was thrust into the spotlight this week after we re-posted a 2010 project by BrewDog to our Instagram account as part of a Halloween-themed weekend of content. The controversial post attracted over 600 comments, sparking a debate about the use of dead animals in the creation of decorative objects. More about "Talk about social roadkill"
In the space of three years, Dubai has started two annual trade fairs, opened a dedicated design district and hosted its inaugural design week. Dezeen investigates how and why the city is trying to become a global design centre. More about "Long journey" ahead for Dubai's growing design scene
Dezeen promotion: Spanish design brand Sancal has released the latest piece from its Majestic Collection: a sofa with deep seats and configurable elements (+ slideshow). More about Sancal launches Tiptoe sofa as part of Majestic Collection
New York studio Bureau V has transformed a brick industrial building into a musical venue, with an auditorium featuring white walls criss-crossed by black stripes (+ slideshow). More about Bureau V converts an old Brooklyn sawdust factory into a concert hall