Poltrona Frau x Taiwan Design Contest. Wining chair to be presented at the 2016 Salone del Mobile

The “Taiwan Design Contest” has been won by architect Lu Shi-Chieh, whose “Ming’s Heart” chair will be officially presented at the 2016 Salone del Mobile Furniture Fair. Inspired by the austere and clean lines of Chinese chairs of the Ming period and enriched by the culture of Poltrona Frau’s handcraftsmanship and leatherwork, this small armchair … Read more

This is not a bottle! Homage to the bottle, source of intoxication

“This is not a bottle!” at Mudac, Lausanne casts new light on wine containers. Mudac Museum and Valais Museum of the Vine and Wine are bringing together their collections to cast new light on wine containers. There are, and always have been, many possible variations upon the shape of a wine bottle. What stories could … Read more

Norman Foster: ‘I have no power as an architect, none whatsoever’

Ahead of a major urban design conference, the architect says we must plan for a more sustainable lifestyle – and discusses his disappointment at the likely rejection of his Thames Hub airport

Does architecture need to be original?

An in-depth symposium in New York discussed the vexed question of authenticity in architecture through the lens of copyright law

German Design Awards 2016: Rams sun lounger and the ten principles for good design

The RAMS sunbed designed by Victor Carrasco for Paola Lenti has been recognised by the German Design Awards within the category of Excellent Product Design in Gardening and Outdoor Living for 2016. Victor Carrasco’s sun lounger design is inspired by the iconic industrial designer Dieter Rams who laid the foundations for refined contemporary design through … Read more

Beats surrender: how headphones became the must-have accessory this Christmas

Mum, dad, kids, the professional footballers in your life … all will be happy this year with some ludicrously expensive cans