Dezeen Magazine

This week, the BBC angered Zaha Hadid and London Design Festival hit the headlines

This week on Dezeen: the BBC apologised to Royal Gold Medal winner Zaha Hadid after a live radio interview went sour, and we covered the latest news, product launches and installations from the London Design Festival 2015.

Portrait of Zaha Hadid by Mary McCartney
Portrait of Zaha Hadid by Mary McCartney

Zaha Hadid was named as the recipient of the 2016 Royal Gold Medal for architecture – the first time a woman has won the award in her own right – on Thursday.

A subsequent interview on Radio 4's prestigious Today programme was cut short by the British architect after the presenter asked poorly researched questions about the architect's stadium project for the Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022. Later on, the BBC issued a public apology.

Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby
Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby

Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby were awarded this year's London Design Medal, but warned that the city's position as a leading creative centre is being threatened by spiralling costs and a government "scared by creativity".

Norman Foster
Norman Foster

Norman Foster didn't entirely agree with the design duo's interpretation, describing the exodus of London's creatives as "inevitable" and "not necessarily bad".

Stack Up by Raw Edges for Established & Sons
Stack Up by Raw Edges for Established & Sons

Popular product launches from this year's London Design Festival included multi-coloured drawers made out of leftover materials by Raw Edges and a coffee table made from plaster and resin composite material Jesmonite.

The Drawing Room by Studio Toogood
The Drawing Room by Studio Toogood

Studio Toogood created a "drawing room" filled with furniture, clothing and personal objects at Somerset House and a tunnel-like installation made out of acrylic was unveiled at the V&A museum (main image).

Thomas Heatherwick's London bus
Thomas Heatherwick's London bus

In other design news, Transport for London announced that it is to fit opening windows on the upper decks of Thomas Heatherwick's new London buses and reports emerged suggesting Apple will launch an electric car in 2019.

African-Design-Center-Rwanda-MASS-Design-Group_dezeen_sq
African Design Center by MASS Design Group

US firm MASS Design Group revealed plans to open "the Bauhaus of Africa" and Japanese studio SANAA completed a building for a nature reserve in New Canaan, Connecticut, featuring a ribbon-like roof.

David Chipperfield revises Nobel Center design
David Chipperfield revises Nobel Center design

David Chipperfield scaled back his design for the Nobel Center in Stockholm and David Adjaye released plans for a museum in San Antonio, Texas.

SRK_ARTechnic_Tokyo_Japan_House__dezeen_sq
SRK home in Tokyo by ARTechnic Architects

Popular stories this week on Dezeen included a seemingly windowless residence in Tokyo, Aesop's "simple and elegant" UK headquarters and our feature on why Los Angeles has become "the hottest destination" in America for international architects.

the-broad-museum-architecture-design-dezeen
The Broad Museum in Los Angeles by Diller Scofidio + Renfro – just one of the many recent high-profile projects in LA. Photograph by Hunter Kerhart

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