Urban improvement projects in neighbourhoods across America are presented on stripy blinds that can be pulled down from the ceiling of the United States Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2012 (+ slideshow). More about United States Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2012
Chairs used in the wheelchair rugby event at the London 2012 Paralympics are designed to withstand heavy impacts and be easily manoeuvrable. More about Paralympic design: wheelchair rugby
Curator Justin McGuirk tells us why his Golden Lion-winning installation about a community living in a vertical slum in Caracas could set an example for new forms of urban housing, in this movie we filmed at the Venice Architecture Biennale. More about "Why should the poor live in slums if there are empty offices in the city?" - Justin McGuirk
Stockholm designer David Taylor sees his latest series of candlesticks as a crowd of friends that changes over time when some of them are bought and others are made to replace them. More about Crowd Candlesticks by David Taylor
This week Dezeen has been reporting from the Venice Architecture Biennale, where biennale director David Chipperfield urged architects to shun stardom and focus on schools and housing, Wolf D. Prix launched a scathing attack on the whole event, and rumours spread that Rem Koolhaas will be director next time around. More about This week on Dezeen
Stabilising pontoons and specially designed seats are just some of the modifications that can be made to equipment used by rowers at the London 2012 Paralympics. More about Paralympic design: adaptive rowing equipment
Every room inside this concrete house in Kyoto by Torafu Architects is accessible for a resident in a wheelchair (+ slideshow). More about House in Kitaoji by Torafu Architects
Posters mapping the rivers and hills that form the topography of London by Melissa Price are the final product to be featured as part of London design month at Dezeen Super Store. More about Topographic London posters by Melissa Price at Dezeen Super Store
Visitors to Kuwait's pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale can lie back on cushions around a faded patchwork of defunct masterplans, while recorded sounds and voices echo down from above. More about Kuwait Pavilion at Venice Architecture Biennale 2012
London Design Festival: Seven aerial installations by young designers Faye Toogood (above), Vic Lee, Paul Cocksedge, Philippe Malouin, Aberrant Architecture, Gitta Gschwendtner and Dominic Wilcox will be installed above the streets of Seven Dials in London during the London Design Festival next month, as part of a project curated by Dezeen. More about Seven Designers for Seven Dials: aerial installations curated by Dezeen
In this third movie Dezeen filmed with industrial designer Marc Newson at his London studio, he talks about his designs for transport and how a car should have as few controls as possible, saying "I don't really believe in instruction manuals. I tend to throw them away." Update: this interview is featured in Dezeen Book of Interviews, which is on sale now for £12. More about "I don't really believe in instruction manuals" - Marc Newson
Portuguese architects Álvaro Siza and Eduardo Souto de Moura have created a pair of installations in the Giardino delle Vergini for the Venice Architecture Biennale (+ slideshow). More about Giardino delle Vergini Installations by Álvaro Siza and Eduardo Souto de Moura
A timber tunnel shaped like a snake - with a bulge to suggest an ingested mouse - provides perfect conditions for growing lilies on a farm in the Western Cape of South Africa. More about Puff Adder at Babylonstoren by Patrice Taravella and Terry de Waal
Dezeen Wire: Rem Koolhaas of OMA is tipped to be director of the next Venice Architecture Biennale in 2014. Among those speculating on Twitter was assistant director for the 2012 biennale Kieran Long, who tweeted "it's certain to be Rem Koolhaas next time. Done deal say my sources." More about Rem Koolhaas tipped to be director of next Venice Architecture Biennale
Bespoke racing wheelchairs designed and manufactured by UK firm Draft will be used by a number of medal hopefuls during the London 2012 Paralympics, including Beijing gold medalist David Weir and London Marathon winner Shelly Woods (below). More about Paralympic design: Draft Mistral racing wheelchairs
Dezeen Wire: architect Wolf D Prix of Coop Himmelb(l)au has launched a scathing attack on the Venice Architecture Biennale, claiming it's "no longer about lively discussion and criticism of topics in contemporary architecture" but places too much importance on celebrity. More about Venice Architecture Biennale "cannot get any worse" says Wolf D Prix
The lastest issue of Dezeen Mail leads with the Russian Pavilion lined with QR codes (above) from the Venice Architecture Biennale, plus new jobs, competitions and music.
Read Dezeen Mail issue 116 | Subscribe to Dezeen Mail
More about Dezeen Mail #116
Architects Herzog & de Meuron have carved some of the spaces of their unfinished Elbphilharmonie concert hall from layered blocks of foam and suspended them from the ceiling of the Arsenale for the Venice Architecture Biennale. More about Elbphilharmonie by Herzog & de Meuron at Venice Architecture Biennale 2012
Fashion brand Louis Vuitton has collaborated with Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama to create a collection of garments featuring Kusama's obsessional polka dot patterns for a concept store at Selfridges department store in London (+ slideshow). More about Louis Vuitton & Kusama concept store at Selfridges
Competition: architecture critic Rowan Moore's new book Why We Build is released today, and we are publishing an extract as well as giving readers the chance to win one of five copies. More about Competition: five copies of Why We Build by Rowan Moore to give away
