This week on Dezeen, BIG unveiled its plans for a city in Bhutan that will be connected by "inhabitable bridges" and we continued our review of 2023.

Danish studio BIG's masterplan for a 1,000-square-kilometre development will include an international airport and a hydroelectric dam incorporating a temple.

It will be arranged around numerous rivers crossed by "inhabitable bridges".

In Italy, it was announced that architect and academic Carlo Ratti will be the curator of the next Venice Architecture Biennale set to take place in 2025.

Ratti is the founder of architecture and innovation studio Carlo Ratti Associati and director of the Senseable City Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

This week we also continued our review of 2023. As part of the summary of highlights from the past year, Dezeen's design and environment editor Jennifer Hahn rounded up 10 of the most significant material innovations, including bricks made from toxic soil and a 3D printer for wool.

We also looked at 10 of the most eye-catching car designs from 2023, including Tesla's Cybertruck and a muscular SUV by Rezvani Motors.

Read the full review of 2023 here.

In Saudi Arabia, Neom announced the latest region that will be built as part of the mega-project in the northwest of the country. Named Utamo, the events space is set to be designed by Spanish studio Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arquitectura.

Also in the country Populous unveiled its design for a neon-lit esports arena that is planned as part of the Qiddiya entertainment megaproject.

In other architecture news, Australian studio Fraser & Partners revealed its design for the world's tallest hybrid timber tower.

Set to be built in Perth, the nearly 190-metre-tall residential tower would become the world's tallest hybrid timber housing if it is completed.

We also explained England's new biodiversity net gain rules, this week.

Features editor Nat Barker took a look at the new planning legislation, which aims to boost biodiversity in development project, and will come into effect in January. 

Popular projects this week included a concrete holiday home surrounded by trees in rural Thailand, a lantern-like glazed pavilion at the University of Oxford and a minimalist home in Malta

This week on Dezeen

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.