In this week's comments update, readers are discussing New Zealand artist Mike Hewson's public playground, which contains 24 massive rough-hewn bluestone boulders.

Sat on what looks like furniture dolleys, the boulders were placed on Southbank Boulevard in Melbourne to create an open environment for children to climb and explore intuitively.

Readers were mostly positive about the playground, which has no handrails or platforms. Slides, swings, monkey bars, ropes, and a linear sandpit connect the spaces in and around the boulders.

"This is exactly what we need"

"Appropriate playground for future generations," commented Zea Newland. "These kids will inherit an Earth effed up by climate disasters," they continued. "They cannot afford to be fragile".

Aaron would love a playground like this near their home, stating that "kids' playgrounds are generally cookie-cutter and anodyne and kids are way too overprotected."

"This is exactly what we need," agreed Gytis Bickus. "Overprotecting our young does far more damage than falling off and scraping a knee!"

Would you let your kids play on this playground? Join the discussion ›

"At least it's aerodynamic"

Consumer electronics company Sony and carmaker Honda have combined their expertise to produce an electric car prototype, which readers are unsure about.

Apsco Radiales would rather go without: "The only entertainment I need in a car is the sound of a V8 Mustang engine or the sound of a 1750 Alfa Romeo GTV," they said. "Everything else is junk!"

"I personally have no interest in an 'infotainment centre' in my vehicle," added Jacob Volanski, "and will not be caught dead navigating a touchscreen to turn on the A/C."

Zea Newland took to the positive side: "At least it's aerodynamic, which is a rather rare feature in modern cars."

"Looks like a very expensive and complex way of providing shelter"

Commenters reacted to a series of tent-like classrooms for displaced communities that were designed by the late Zaha Hadid and Patrik Schumacher.

Anthony Suskin's first thought was "that it must have cost a fortune", which was quickly followed by the statement that "these children deserve something extraordinary, they've most likely come from a traumatic situation and this space can, at the very least, give them a sense of worth and comfort."

It would be "great if some more structures like these could be produced by the thousands of units and fitted with various equipment so to be field hospitals, tourism housing, wilderness refuges and dwellings, emergency storage, sports facilities, religious and cultural structures, et cetera," added Pa Varreon.

Alfred Hitchcock was not so impressed and said that the tent-like structures look like "a very expensive and complex way of providing shelter."

Do you think they are a good solution? Join the discussion ›

"Why do we need this again?"

Readers are debating the updated version of BMW's colour-changing car technology at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, expanding the concept from black and white to a full colour palette.

"What a cute idea," said Mr J, "except some of my toy cars had the same colour-change feature many years ago," they continued. "At least this concept is not as hideous as many BMWs available today."

Pa Varreon is not a fan at all, calling the concept car a "costly gadget for a design feature, which in fact looks like an industrial skin disease."This car is probably aiming at a clientele of biologists," they joked.

"Why do we need this again?" wondered Steve Hassler.

What do you think about the concept vehicle? 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 and subscribe to our weekly Debate newsletter, where we feature the best reader comments from stories in the last seven days.