Former Selfridges hotel converted into Britain's largest indoor skatepark
Selfridges has collaborated with mobile phone company HTC to create a temporary 1,700 square metre skatepark replete with ramps, rails, benches and banks, in the middle of London's West End. More
Hospital door handle sanitises users' hands and measures cleanliness of staff
A new type of hospital door handle by British studio Agency of Design transforms a hotbed for germs into a sanitising device, with a sensor that monitors how often it is used. More
Floating steel staircase divides Idunsgate Apartment by Haptic
A suspended steel staircase is completed by a piece of wooden furniture in this renovated Oslo loft by London studio Haptic (+ slideshow). More
Ceramic speakers replace buttons with orientation-sensitive controls
These white hexagonal ceramic speakers by Finnish company Unmonday can connect to each other wirelessly by being rolled onto different sides. More
Former corset factory converted into office and events space by OkiDoki! Arkitekter
Swedish firm OkiDoki! Arkitekter has created its own offices inside a former corset factory in Gothenburg, designing an open-plan workspace that hosts events for local residents in the evening (+ slideshow). More
Species of Illumination interactive lights go in search of humans and dark spots
These autonomous lamps by Dutch designer Bob de Graaf seek out human companions then follow them around, and go in search of the darkest spots in the house ( + movie). More
Alexander Jacques transforms architectural facades into abstract patterns
The facades of well-known buildings in Paris, New York and Brisbane have been reduced to patterned surfaces and silhouettes in this series of images by French photographer Alexander Jacques (+ slideshow). More
Cutting Edge sofa by Martijn Rigters cut from block of foam using hot wires
Milan 2014: Dutch designer Martijn Rigters created this rippled sofa by forcing a long block of foam through the gap between four hot wires. More
Fender Katsalidis Architects and Suppose Design Office collaborate on eclectic Canberra hotel
More than 50 artists, designers and makers were enlisted to help design the eclectic interior of this hotel in Canberra, overseen by Fender Katsalidis Architects and Suppose Design Office (+ slideshow). More
Angular balconies stretch towards sunlight at North Star Apartments by Nice Architects
This social housing block in Slovakia by Bratislava studio Nice Architects features a series of protruding balconies that angle towards sunlight whilst blocking out the noise of car traffic below (+ slideshow). More
Walls of foliage will surround towers at Gardens of Anfa by Maison Edouard François
Flowering vines will sprawl across the facades of these four tower blocks underway in Casablanca by French studio Maison Edouard François, creating a series of brightly coloured vertical gardens. More
Nendo's solo exhibition in Milan to showcase chairs that mix printed and natural grains
Milan 2014: Japanese design studio Nendo has created a range of chairs with wood grain patterns printed onto natural timber for a forthcoming solo show in Milan. More
Cliq coat hangers by Flow Design replace hooks with magnets
These clothes hangers by German-Latvian creative agency Flow Design don't feature hooks, instead attaching to the underside of any metal surface with magnets (+ movie). More
Studio 360 adds walls of modular shelving and storage to Slovenian apartment
Slovenian firm Studio 360 built walls of modular white shelving inside every room of this L-shaped apartment in Ljubljana to maximise space whilst removing clutter (+ slideshow). More
Suspended staircase combined with desk and storage space by Mieke Meijer
Residents climb over an integrated desk, storage space and shelving to reach the suspended upper section of this staircase by Dutch design studio Mieke Meijer. More
Disposable paper microscope developed for detecting malaria
News: a research team at Stanford University has developed a pocket-sized microscope that can be assembled from a sheet of paper and costs less than a pound to manufacture, intended to help in the fight against malaria. More
Epilepsy aid uses wearable sensors to predict seizures and call for help
This wearable design concept helps epilepsy sufferers manage symptoms, predict potential seizures and alert passersby or loved ones when having a fit (+ slideshow). More
Genetic engineering will be "as accessible as 3D-printing" says DNA Vending Machine designer
Artist Gabriel Barcia-Colombo has created a vending machine that dispenses human genetic material to highlight privacy issues emerging as biotechnology makes it easier and cheaper to access information locked in our DNA (+ interview). More
Josh Bitelli uses welding equipment to make containers from coils of molten steel
British designer Josh Bitelli has created a series of vessels by dripping molten steel from a welding gun. More
Recycled marble dust used to create simple homeware range by Francesca Gattello
Waste material from the mining and cutting of marble has been used by Italian designer Francesca Gattello to create a range of simple homeware. More
