Floating architecture is becoming more common as architects explore ways to make the most of picturesque locations, deal with rising floodwaters, and alleviate pressure on available land. Examples range from tiny cabins to entire cities, and include the UK's "first amphibious house". See more stories about floating architecture »
NEXT Architects chose both ribbed terracotta and smooth granite to clad the buildings of this housing development in China, which are stacked to maximise views over a nearby river and mountains (+ slideshow). More
Dutch researcher Paulien Routs has worked with conceptual design studio Droog to develop a spray for activewear that monitors wearers' hydration levels by reacting to their sweat (+ slideshow). More
Square windows puncture the timber facade of this townhouse in Ghent, Belgium, which has been recently refurbished and widened to make room for three new flats (+ slideshow). More
Arched doorways and shuttered windows give this Japanese residence by Takushu Arai the appearance of an oversized playhouse (+ slideshow). More
James Corner Field Operations – one of the studios behind New York's popular High Line – has designed a new park for downtown Miami that would be constructed beneath an elevated rail line (+ slideshow). More
Comments update: hacked Ikea flat-pack kitchens by Danish architecture studios BIG, Henning Larsen and Norm have triggered a debate about the affordability of good design. Read on for more on this and don't forget to explore our comments page to keep up to date with the latest discussions. More
Pomo summer: London design store Darkroom has created a collection of home accessories and jewellery based on five basic shapes to celebrate its fifth anniversary. More
Brazilian architect Alan Chu has completed the renovation of a São Paulo apartment, which uses ceramic ventilation bricks to form partitions and furniture (+ slideshow). More
Atelier Central Arquitectos has upgraded the campus of a Lisbon high school, adding a pale concrete entrance block and a network of corridors enclosed behind slender golden fins (+ movie). More
A Japanese inventor has developed the "world's smallest electric car" – an aluminium board with wheels that carries a passenger like a Segway and fits into a backpack (+ movie). More
The scooped walls of this aluminium-clad retail and housing complex were designed by Iroje KHM Architects to mimic the concave roofs of traditional Korean houses (+ slideshow). More
Graduate shows 2015: Royal College of Art graduates Begum and Bike Ayaskan have designed a plant pot with a complex origami form, which enables it to unfold and accommodate more space for roots over time. More
David Chipperfield Architects has completed a pair of holiday villas inspired by lemon houses on a hillside overlooking Italy's largest lake (+ slideshow). More
Architect Frank Gehry is designing a masterplan for the revitalisation of the Los Angeles River, a barren canal-like waterway that weaves through the California city. More
Melbourne-based Tandem Design Studio has designed the interior for a shop that sells both footwear and health products, featuring a complex wooden shelving system that "combines geometries" (+ slideshow). More
Pomo summer: Mario Botta's monumental San Francisco Museum of Modern Art was the architect's first building in the US, but was frostily received by critics. Now undergoing a major extension project led by design firm Snøhetta, the building is the next in our summer series on Postmodernism (+ slideshow). More
Turner Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller has created a new limited-edition banknote for the Brixton Pound, a currency that supports south London's local economy. More
Danish architecture studios BIG, Henning Larsen and Norm have hacked IKEA flat-pack kitchens for Danish company Reform (+ slideshow). More
New Zealanders are to get a chance to vote on a new flag for their country, which could replace its existing graphic featuring the Union Jack. More