In this week's comments update, readers are questioning the design of a vulva-shaped spaceship concept and discussing other top stories.

German feminist art group Wer Braucht Feminismus? has created a vulva-shaped spaceship to challenge the convention of phallic spacecraft design.

The group hopes that the European Space Agency will realise the concept and "restore gender equality to the cosmos".

"This is just clitbait"

In total the story has attracted over 100 comments so far. "Look," said Steelblue8. "I am absolutely 100 per cent for destroying gender roles, but if you look at the peak of human achievement and think 'haha penis' that's on you."

"Given a choice between a rocket designed to address engineering issues and a rocket designed to address ideological issues, I'll go with the former," replied Kevin Van Horn.

"Aerodynamics as social convention... okay," added Marc Sicard.

That Designer Thingy had a question: "What happens when it collides with phallic-shaped rockets? Procreation? Big bang?"

"This is just clitbait," concluded C. Labia.

Are commenters missing the point? Join the discussion ›

Reader calls supertall New York skyscrapers "a danger to plebians"

Commenters are discussing reports that ice falling from supertall skyscrapers in New York over the weekend, including 11 West 57th Street on Billionaires' Row, injured motorists and closed roads.

"Great," said Rustbeltbrett. "If the buildings weren't already empty useless investment instruments, now they're a danger to us plebians on the streets."

"You reap what you sow," continued AlfredHitchcock. "Of course extremely tall buildings in cold climates will attract ice at the top and that ice will inevitably fall off."

"What goes up must come down," concluded Ken Steffes.

Are supertall skyscrapers dangerous? Join the discussion ›

Commenter says BIG's virtual office for Vice Media Group "isn't architecture"

Readers aren't sold on BIG's design for its first building in the metaverse, a virtual office for employees at media company Vice Media Group.

"This is not architecture," said Ken Steffes. "This is computer imaging."

"Looks like a fairly conventional building," added Rustbeltbrett. "Why not take advantage of there being no gravity in terms of both circulation and form?"

Chris agreed: "Architects that want to address digital space need to start questioning what architecture actually means in a digital realm, where the restrictions and possibilities have very little parallel to building in the real world."

Do you agree? Join the discussion ›

Reader dubs building designed to look like a block of stone "post-mortem architecture"

Commenters disagree that the new Kaan Architecten-designed Geo and Environmental Centre in Tübingen, Germany, resembles a block of stone.

"More like butcher-block-inspired brutalism," said Romeo Reyes.

Johnk continued: "Post-mortem architecture".

"Some interesting moments (i.e. the corners and the columns)," concluded JZ. "But awfully subtle. Like an early Herzog & de Meuron without any of the phenomenological swagger."

Are readers being harsh? Join the discussion ›

Comments update

Dezeen is the world's most commented architecture and design magazine, receiving thousands of comments each month from readers. Keep up to date on the latest discussions on our comments page.