News: a gagging order preventing architects, engineers and builders from promoting their involvement in the London 2012 Olympics has been lifted after the UK government paid £2 million to the British Olympic Association. More
Shimmering aluminium skin and a gaping mouth give this ice rink in Belgium by architects L'Escaut the look of a whale (+ slideshow). More
Designer Philippe Malouin describes how the Olympics has changed Hackney in this movie we filmed at Dezeen Live during 100% Design. More
News: the director of the UK’s Olympic cultural programme has called on designers to help fight government proposals to remove creative subjects from the curriculum. More
News: the lighting of the London 2012 Olympic Cauldron was conceived as a religious ceremony, designer Thomas Heatherwick has explained. More
News: UK firm Zaha Hadid Architects has been selected to design the new national stadium for Japan. More
News: architecture critic Rowan Moore has labelled Renzo Piano's Shard skyscraper as a "serious failure of planning" and described claims that the Olympics will regenerate east London as "bullsh*t". More
Here's a movie showing the concept animations, construction and testing of the London 2012 Olympic cauldron by British designer Thomas Heatherwick. More
To conclude our series on designs at the London 2012 Paralympics we're focussing on the most talked-about equipment used at the games - carbon-fibre prosthetic blades inspired by the hind legs of a cheetah. More
Discus-thrower Derek Derenalagi competes using a custom frame that's specially designed to meet strict rules for Paralympic athletics, which state that any equipment can be used so long as he can get set up and ready to compete within 60 seconds. More
Sailors at the London 2012 Paralympics are using boats fitted out with custom seats, handles and pedal controls. More
Chairs used in the wheelchair rugby event at the London 2012 Paralympics are designed to withstand heavy impacts and be easily manoeuvrable. More
Bespoke racing wheelchairs designed and manufactured by UK firm Draft will be used by a number of medal hopefuls during the London 2012 Paralympics, including Beijing gold medalist David Weir and London Marathon winner Shelly Woods (below). More
Dezeen Wire: the ArcelorMittal Orbit tower and other areas of the Olympic Park in Stratford are now likely to be kept open to paying visitors after the end of the Paralympic Games, reports The Independent. More
Rio 2016: host city for the 2016 Olympics Rio de Janeiro will be taking notes from the London 2012 Olympics – the most 'temporary' Games in history – to avoid the legacy of 'white elephant' sporting venues suffered by other former host cities including Athens and Beijing, reports Reuters. More
Digital graphics company Crystal CG created animations on a 360 degree screen comprising 70,500 paddles held by the audience at the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics last night. More
Slideshow feature: the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics takes place tonight with a set designed by Es Devlin. Here's a slideshow of images from some of her previous projects, including arena tours for Kanye West and Jay Z (above) and Take That last year. More
Dezeen Wire: plans to develop the London 2012 Olympic Park after the Games end in September were unveiled by mayor of London Boris Johnson yesterday, including the transformation of the press centre into a technology, design and research centre, and the creation of up to 8000 new homes in addition to the athletes' village (+ movie). More
Writer and artist Clo’e Floirat's comical-satirical drawings of London 2012 Olympic venues are now available at Dezeen Super Store as part of London design month. More
Movie: digital graphics company Crystal CG created this animated video to accompany the Chemical Brothers' specially commissioned song, which is played before each session in the Velodrome during the London 2012 Olympics. More