This week UN experts denounced executions connected to Neom

This week on Dezeen, independent United Nations Human Rights Council experts urged Saudi authorities not to carry out planned executions of three people for reportedly opposing the Neom mega project.

The three men were sentenced to death after being "forcibly evicted and displaced to make way for the Neom megaproject", according to Saudi Arabia and London-based ALQST.

The UN experts believe this contravenes international law. In a statement, they said: "Under international law, states that have not yet abolished the death penalty may only impose it for the 'most serious crimes', involving intentional killing."

"We do not believe the actions in question meet this threshold," they continued.

Maserati GranTurismo Folgore — Maserati showcases first electric car at Milan design week

Italian sportscar brand Maserati unveiled its first fully electric car, the GranTurismo Folgore during Milan design week.

Talking about the car, Maserati CEO Davide Grassi told Dezeen that electric cars do not need to be boring.

"It's about driving experience, who says they have to be dull?" he said. "If the majority of the electric cars are dull – I'm not saying that, but it's what I'm hearing from you – then this is an opportunity for us."

View of twisting MAD tower in Quito — MAD's first South American building will resemble "twisting vines"

In architecture news, Chinese studio MAD revealed visuals of its first-ever project in South America, a twisting tower that will be built in Quito.

Called Qondesa, the skyscraper will feature planted balconies and is set to be the city's tallest building. Its twisted facade was informed by the nature surrounding the building, while its colour references neighbouring houses constructed from volcanic rocks.

Sugarcrete sugarcane waste construction material blocks in an interlocking grid by Grimshaw and the University of East London — Grimshaw and UEL develop Sugarcrete blocks that "could replace the traditional brick industry"

Architecture studio Grimshaw unveiled a new material, Sugarcrete, which it developed with the University of East London and sugar brand Tate & Lyle.

It is hoped the material, which is made from the sugarcane byproduct bagasse, could "replace the traditional brick industry entirely, offering a potential saving of 1.08 billion tonnes of CO2, three per cent of the global CO2 production."

Nendo beer can with two tabs — Nendo designs beer can with two pull tabs to "create an ideal foam"

In design news, Japanese studio Nendo revealed its design for a beer can with two tabs – an invention it claims will "create an ideal foam" by allowing the user to regulate the level of pressure inside the can.

The studio also collaborated with US artist Daniel Arsham during Milan design week, creating objects with no specific functionality for Arsham to break and turn into new pieces.