This week on Dezeen, creatives including Arthur Mamou-Mani and Adam Nathaniel Furman revealed what has made them appreciative during the pandemic in an ongoing portrait series.

Illustrator Justyna Green started drawing her series 100 Days of Gratitude as Covid-19 restrictions begun loosening, and will draw one portrait per day for three months.

"100 Days of Gratitude is born from the idea that even in the toughest life situations, there's always something to be grateful for," Green told Dezeen.

We continued our carbon revolution series this week with an interview with Arup's Jan Wurm. The research and innovation leader said that the drive to reduce carbon emissions caused by the construction process has made the biomaterials market a "really exciting space."

This week also saw the European Union unveil new proposals aimed to reduce carbon emissions across the continent. For the first time, the proposals include caps for building and transport.

In Sweden, the closure of a cement factory on environmental grounds is set to lead to "very serious economic impacts."

However, the plant, which is the second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Sweden, could become the world's first carbon-neutral cement plant under plans announced by its owner.

Design studio Thomas Heatherwick unveiled the prototype for its electric car Airo at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The studio claims the car will clean the air as it drives by "vacuuming up pollutants from other cars."

Also at Goodwood, London-based production studio Unit9 showcased the tensegrity structure it designed for car brand Lotus, which can be enhanced using augmented reality.

Another tensegrity structure was in the news this week as we showed footage of police storming the Antepavilion office in London, where a structure of the kind being used by environmental protest group Extinction Rebellion was set to be unveiled.

In architecture this week, the first images of Herzog & de Meuron's wedge-shaped art institute in Seoul were revealed. The monolithic structure is set to open in September.

In Beverly Hills, Foster + Partners has won planning permission to redevelop a triangular site, creating a botanical garden as well as two plant-covered high-rises.

Popular projects this week include a pared-back concrete house nestled within a forest in Mexico, a kitchen refurbishment for hosting at-home supper clubs and a brickwork house in Australia with lofted white ceilings.

Our lookbooks this week focused on mezzanines and white interiors.

This week on Dezeen is our regular roundup of the week's top news stories. Subscribe to our newsletters to be sure you don't miss anything.