Competition: continuing our series of features on new publishing ventures, Dezeen are giving readers a chance to win a copy of Useless: Critical Writing in Art and Design written by Royal College of Art graduates. More about Competition: five copies of Useless - Critical Writing in Art and Design to be won
Dutch architects MVRDV have proposed extending the city of Almere into a lake by building a square-shaped artificial peninsula covered in gardens (+ slideshow). More about Floriade 2022 by MVRDV
Dezeen Wire: Dezeen has been placed first in a list of the 10 best architecture blogs compiled by UK newspaper The Independent. More about Dezeen number one in The Independent's 10 best architecture blogs
French designer Mathieu Lehanneur has created a series of Wi-Fi stations in Paris where people can sit down to use their laptops or access local information via a large screen. More about Escale Numérique by Mathieu Lehanneur
Wooden shutters fold, tilt and slide open to let in the sun and keep out the burglars at this weekend cabin in New Zealand by architects Crosson Clarke Carnachan (+ slideshow). More about Tutukaka House by Crosson Clarke Carnachan Architects
French designer Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance and branding agency Brandimage have created a park-like business lounge at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, with branching pathways and tree-shaped lights. More about Air France Business Lounge by Brandimage and Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance
This hotel by Mexican architects Gracia Studio comprises 20 separate cabins dotted across the landscape in one of Mexico's wine-making regions (+ slideshow). More about Endémico Resguardo Silvestre by Gracia Studio
These felt elephant toys by German designer Daniel Böttcher are available at our pop-up design emporium Dezeen Super Store at 38 Monmouth Street, Seven Dials, Covent Garden, London WC2. More about Ronny by Daniel Böttcher for Formverleih at Dezeen Super Store
Architect John Lin has adapted the traditional style of a rural Chinese courtyard residence to create a village house that is entirely self-sufficient (+ slideshow). More about House For All Seasons by John Lin
Renzo Piano's London skyscraper The Shard will be officially inagurated tomorrow, followed by a five-minute laser show projected onto its 310-metre-high facade. More about The Shard opens tomorrow
Chunky chipboard surfaces have been sanded and stained to look like marble at this Aesop skincare shop in Tokyo by Japanese studio Torafu Architects (+ slideshow). More about Aesop Shin-Marunouchi by Torafu Architects
Eindhoven designers Studio Toer have created a table designed to fit through your letter box (+ movie). More about Postable by Studio Toer
Japanese architect Jo Nagasaka of Schemata Architecture Office has designed the interior of a food-photography studio in Tokyo. More about Hue Plus by Schemata Architecture Office
Dezeen Wire: Sergio Pininfarina, the Italian car designer who worked for brands including Ferrari, Maserati and Lancia, has died aged 85 (via Reuters). Pininfarina worked at and later ran the family-run Pininfarina design studio from 1950 until 2006, working on models including the Ferrari Testarossa, Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider and Bentley Azure.
Ferdinand Alexander Porsche 1935-2012 | See all our stories about cars
More about Sergio Pininfarina 1926-2012
Students at the Geneva University of Art and Design have formed a travelling commune inside a collection of shipping containers and have been staging performances around Switzerland. More about The Commune by Geneva University of Art and Design students
Spikes made from semi-precious stones break out between the heels and platforms of these shoes by fashion designer Iris van Herpen and shoe brand United Nude. More about Thorn by Iris van Herpen and United Nude
Designer Gerry Judah has created this white knotted sculpture of a race track for car brand Lotus at Goodwood Festival of Speed, which took place in West Sussex last weekend. More about Lotus Sculpture by Gerry Judah
Architect Frank Gehry filled a stage with crumpled paper for a recent production of the Mozart opera Don Giovanni (+ slideshow). More about Don Giovanni set design by Frank Gehry
Interieur 2012: in this interview filmed at Dezeen Studio in Milan, curator Lowie Vermeersch talks to Dezeen editor-in-chief Marcus Fairs about the programme of events for this year's Interieur Biennale, which will take place in Kortrijk, Belgium, from 20-28 October and feature projects from the likes of Ross Lovegrove, Troika and Jurgen Bey. More about Movie: Biennale Interieur 2012 highlights announced by curator Lowie Vermeersch
This bicycle that's designed to grow with your child by Spanish designer Álex Fernández Camps has been awarded the top prize at the Delta Awards for industrial design at FADfest in Barcelona. More about Orbea Grow by Álex Fernández Camps