The biggest architecture and design stories of 2021

To conclude our review of 2021, editor Tom Ravenscroft takes a look back at this year's most-read stories, including Richard Rogers' final building, a transparent mid-air pool, Dubai Expo pavilions and a Virgil Abloh-design car.

Image is by Brick Visual, courtesy of Zaha Hadid Architects

January –Supertall skyscrapers linked by planted terraces to be built in Shenzhen by Zaha Hadid Architects

The year began with news that Zaha Hadid Architects was designing a pair of interconnected skyscrapers in China called the Shenzhen Bay Super Headquarters.

The buildings were part of a trend for the world's best-known architects to design supertall skyscrapers. Alongside Zaha Hadid Architects, BIG, Foster + Partners and Dorte Mandrup are among the leading architects designing these tall buildings.

Read more about Shenzhen Bay Super Headquarters ›

Photo is by Stéphane Aboudaram / We Are Content(s)

February –Richard Rogers balances his final building over Provence vineyard

In February, Prizker Architecture Prize-winning architect Richard Rogers revealed photography of his final building designed before his retirement from Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.

Named The Richard Rogers Drawing Gallery, the building cantilevers 27 metres out from a hill at a vineyard in southern France. The year ended with news that Rogers, who was a pioneer of high-tech architecture, had passed away aged 88.

Read more about The Richard Rogers Drawing Gallery ›

March –IKEA unveils Allen key lamp in homage to "the most iconic IKEA item of all"

IKEA made headlines in March when it unveiled a lamp shaped like an oversized Allen key.

Created as a nod towards the company's flat-pack furniture, it was designed by Gelchop so that "arguably the most iconic IKEA item of all" could have its time in the spotlight.

Read more about IKEA's Allen key lamp ›

Photo is by Tommaso Riva

April –Ten domestic interiors featuring statement plants that help bring nature indoors

The most popular story on Dezeen in April was our roundup of domestic interiors that contain carefully chosen plants.

The piece was part of our Dezeen Lookbooks series providing visual inspiration for the home.

Read more about interiors with plants ›

Photo is by Adrian Gaut for WSJ Magazine

May –Photos reveal Thomas Heatherwick's Little Island in New York ahead of opening

In May, the long-awaited Little Island designed by Thomas Heatherwick opened on the Hudson River in New York.

Originally called Pier 55, the elevated park supported on 132 mushroom-shaped concrete columns was completed following a lengthy delay to construction amid a campaign opposing the project by advocacy group The City Club of New York.

Read more about Little Island ›

Photo is by Simon Kennedy

June –Fully transparent Sky Pool provides "a swim like no other" between two housing blocks in London

A video showing a transparent swimming pool that spans between two buildings at the Embassy Gardens development in Battersea, London, was the most popular story on Dezeen in June.

Designed by architecture studio HAL, the 25-metre-long Sky Pool was suspended 35 metres above the ground. According to HAL, the pool was designed to have "a sense of fun" and give people "a swim like no other".

Read more about Sky Pool ›

July –Planting trees "doesn't make any sense" in the fight against climate change due to permanence concerns, say experts

During June and July, we ran our carbon revolution series, which aimed to explore how the element could be removed from the atmosphere and put to use on earth.

In interviews conducted as part of the series, key figures told Dezeen that afforestation is an unreliable way of permanently sequestering atmospheric carbon. The story was the most read in the month of July.

Read more about the carbon revolution series ›

Image courtesy of AL_A

August –Amanda Levete designs world's first magnetised fusion power station for the UK

A prototype power plant with a nuclear fusion reactor, which is set to be built in England, drew global attention in August.

Designed by architect Amanda Levete's firm AL_A, the Fusion Demonstration Plant will be built to prove the viability of nuclear fusion technology as a carbon-free energy source.

It is one of a growing number of power plants that combine architecture and innovative energy solutions.

Read more about the Fusion Demonstration Plant ›

Image courtesy of BIG

September –Bjarke Ingels designing "new city in America" for five million people

News that Danish architect Bjarke Ingels is master planning a city for five million people in the US desert was the most popular story in September.

Named Telosa, the city is the brainchild of entrepreneur Marc Lore and is set to be built "from scratch" on a yet-to-be-announced, 150,000-acre site in the western United States.

Read more about Telosa ›

Photo courtesy of Santiago Calatrava

October – Ten must-see pavilions at Dubai Expo 2020

In October, the coronavirus-delayed Dubai Expo officially opened in the United Arab Emirates.

Our roundup of the 10 most interesting pavilions, which were designed by architects including Foster + Partners, WOHA and Santiago Calatrava, was the month's most-read story.

Read more about Dubai Expo pavilions ›

Image courtesy of UCSB

November –Architect resigns over mostly windowless Munger Hall dormitory at University of California

Architect Dennis McFadden made headlines in November when he resigned from a University of California committee to protest the design of the Munger Hall university dormitory.

Set to be built on the university's Santa Barbara campus, the block would reportedly house over 90 per cent of its 4,500 students in windowless rooms.

Read more about Munger Hall ›

Image courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

December –Virgil Abloh and Mercedes-Benz create solar-powered car with transparent front hood

The end of 2021 was marked by the deaths of a trio of architecture and design greats with fashion designer Virgil Abloh, and architects Chris Wilkinson and Richard Rogers passing away.

A Mercedes-Benz with a transparent front hood containing solar cells, designed by Abloh and revealed shortly after his death, was the month's most-read story.

Read more about Virgil Abloh's Mercedes-Benz ›

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The best Dezeen comments of 2021

Plenty of design and architecture news got people talking in 2021. For our review of year, digital and engagement editor Karen Anderson picks out 10 stories where comments from Dezeen readers caught the eye.

Photo is by Duncan Hull

Elon Musk is "the biggest architect of our time" says Jan Boelen

Design curator and educator Jan Boelen sparked debate by calling Tesla and SpaceX entrepreneur Elon Musk the world's greatest living architect.

Boelen argued that the South African-born billionaire is thinking on a more ambitious scale than any other living figure and is reshaping the world through his businesses.

"Or maybe he's a cook as he's cooking up all these great ideas?" commented Zea Newland. "Or a composer since he's bringing us the symphonies of the future? Musk is a brilliant entrepreneur and he pushes people to accomplish great things, which is awesome. Let's just leave it at that and stop creating these cults around mortals."

"Musk is a patron of the profession," added JZ. "Of many professions. He's leveraged amazing amounts of resources to see his vision through. And by recruiting good people. He's not a Tesla or an Einstein or an Edison let alone a Corb, Mies or Wright. They knew how to roll up their shirt sleeves and get it done."

Find out more about Boelen's thoughts on Musk ›

Planting trees "doesn't make any sense" in the fight against climate change due to permanence concerns, say experts

Our story quoting experts who said planting trees "doesn't make any sense" in the fight against climate change" triggered a furious reaction from readers.

Many of the specialists quoted claim afforestation is not a reliable enough method of long-term carbon sequestration since the trees need to be left growing for decades.

"Absolute garbage," Rory wrote. "Trees have a massive potential for capturing carbon."

Michael Wigle was more sympathetic: "Saying you are offsetting carbon by planting a tree is nonsense. That doesn't mean we shouldn't invest more time and effort into re-establishing true old-growth forests and greater biodiversity."

Find out more about planting trees in the fight against climate change ›

Opposite Office proposes turning US Capitol into "fortress to protect democracy"

Architecture studio Opposite Office caused controversy with a proposal for fortifying the US Capitol building in Washington DC.

Named Capitol Castle, the concept was created in reaction to the invasion of the building by Donald Trump supporters back in January following his defeat in the 2020 presidential election.

Readers weren't keen. "A fortress around the Capitol is the exact opposite of democracy," said S.P. "Terrible idea."

Alfred Hitchcock agreed: "Ironic? If so, it's really unfunny. Five people needlessly died there. It's just self-promotional idiocy. It will probably have the opposite effect and create a backlash."

Find out more about Capitol Castle ›

Image courtesy of Antepavilion

Footage of "sinister" police raid on Antepavilion building triggers anger ahead of tensegrity structure unveiling

Readers were horrified by footage showing more than 40 police officers storming an arts building and arresting the organisers of the annual Antepavilion architecture charity competition.

It is thought that police believed the canalside Hoxton Docks art building in east London was being used by environmental protest group Extinction Rebellion to prepare for protests.

"I didn't realise architecture was so dangerous," said Jolalala. "Perhaps it should be outlawed altogether? It is strange that they needed 52 officers to arrest one unarmed arts producer. They must be very afraid of us creative folk."

Heywood Floyd was also annoyed: "Meanwhile stereotypical football hooligans overrun the gates at Wembley for the Euro final".

Find out more about the police raid ›

Photo is by Anthony Coleman

Barefoot Architects tucks weathering steel house and courtyard behind old brick wall

Barefoot Architects built a Corten steel-clad house behind an existing brick wall in Bristol, England, sparking debate amongst commenters. The wall features graffiti and a rare built-in Edwardian post box.

"Amazed at the negative comments," said JZ. "Highly urban, highly contextual, and constantly in flux if the owners continue to allow people to express themselves. Graffiti is an art form folks. As far as I'm concerned, these owners are patrons."

Apsco Radiales disagreed: "Graffiti is vulgar and it's vandalism. Why don't you let some 'artists' deface the walls of your house if you think it gives it 'character'?"

Find out more about the graffiti-covered house ›

Photo is by Laurent Chalet

Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal win Pritzker Architecture Prize 2021

When social housing architects Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal were named the 2021 winners of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, it catalysed conversation.

The founders of Lacaton & Vassal were awarded for their body of work that "reflects architecture's democratic spirit" and their "commitment to a restorative architecture".

Koba was pleased: "Excellent choice, an outstanding architectural team."

Archi agreed: "I'm glad that the jury is moving away from high profile starchitects towards a statement that the deserving designers are those who are making a deep regional impact at a variety of scales, typologies, and budgets. Designers that elevate the 'everyday' are far more important than those only working on silver platter commissions."

Find out more about the Pritzker Architecture Prize 2021 ›

BIG designs "infinity loop" skyscraper for OPPO in Hangzhou

Commenters were amused by Danish architecture studio BIG's design for a research and development building in Hangzhou named the O-Tower.

Described by BIG as being infinity-loop shaped, the skyscraper, for Chinese smartphone manufacturer OPPO, was designed to "connect ground to sky in a continuous loop of collaboration".

"Finally a women-inspired building," said Indrė Butkutė. "Great!"

"It's definitely not phallic," added Sigmund. "Quite the opposite, actually."

"I just love it! " concluded Hotte. "First we had all the dildo towers, now we get vulvas! Equality is coming!"

Find out more about the O-Tower ›

Image courtesy of Neom

Saudi Arabia announces plans for a 100-mile, car-free linear city called The Line

Readers weren't convinced by the crown prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman's plans to build a 100-mile belt of zero-energy communities for a million people.

The linear city in Saudi Arabia would have no cars or streets and residents would live within a five-minute walk of essential facilities.

"Only a train would think that's a cool city layout," said Zea Newland.

"The idiotic idea of linear cities comes up probably every decade," added Gudjon Thor Erlendsson. "It needs to be reiterated that this is a terrible idea. The transport length is extremely inefficient and this can be proven with simple modelling or mathematics. It looks cool from 10,000 feet up but it's all form, no function."

Find out more about The Line ›

Rebecca Weiss designs ultrasound-powered male contraceptive device

Few stories divided readers more than German graduate Rebecca Weiss' design for a male contraceptive device called Coso, which won a James Dyson Award.

Weiss's device uses ultrasound waves to temporarily halt sperm regeneration. To use it, a person would fill the device with water up to the indicated mark, turn it on so it heats to operating temperature, and sit for a few minutes with their testicles dipped into it.

"It sounds to me like it requires men to put their balls in the microwave," said Sim. "Not sure that doesn't have long-term consequences for their health."

"Yet we have been totally cool for women to have literal mechanical devices inserted into them, take hormone-manipulating drugs, have implants, or even in some cases injections..." replied Nimdoorquoi.

Find out more about Coso ›

Image courtesy of the Peebles Corporation

Adjaye Associates proposes inverted supertall skyscraper for New York

Our story about Adjaye Associates' design for a supertall skyscraper in New York, which has a series of cantilevers to give it a dramatic form, attracted nearly 100 reader comments.

Named Affirmation Tower, the skyscraper was designed for a 1.2-acre vacant plot of land at 418 11th Avenue in Manhattan.

"Next step: horizontal skyscrapers," remarked Stefano Parodi.

"This proposal appears greedy and its irrational structural approach is wilfully discombobulating and perturbing – top-heavy and as if about to topple," wrote Ralph Kent. "People will naturally start to question if it's client greed or the architect's attention-seeking character that is the driving force."

Find out more about Affirmation Tower ›

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Dezeen's top 10 installations of 2021

From a giant inflated bubble to a steel-wired mosque designed to challenge Islamaphobia, we take a look at 10 standout installations covered by Dezeen this year as part of our review of 2021.

Medusa, UK, by Sou Fujimoto

A vast gallery room in the V&A Museum was reserved for a virtual installation by architect Sou Fujimoto and mixed reality studio Tin Drum during London Design Festival this year.

Festival-goers could put on a pair of mixed-reality glasses and walk through the virtual blue structure as it changed shape in response to their movements. The installation was intended to encourage visitors to explore the potential of manipulating a perceived environment.

Find out more about Medusa ›

Photo is by Benjamin Loyseau

L'Arc de Triomphe Wrapped, France, by Christo and Jeanne-Claude

Nearly 60 years after artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude first planned L'Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped, the much-anticipated installation opened to the public in Paris.

For 16 days, the world-famous arch on the Champs-Élysées was covered by 25,000 square metres of silvery fabric, secured by 3,000 metres of contrasting red rope. People were able to touch the architectural work as well as observe the installation from the Arc de Triomphe's terrace.

Find out more about L'Arc de Triomphe Wrapped ›

Photo is by Robert Benson Photography

Ascension of Polka Dots on the Trees, US, by Yayoi Kusama

Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama covered trees at the New York Botanical Garden in her signature colourful polka dots as part of the park-wide 2021 exhibition Kusama: Cosmic Nature.

Other installations by the artist in the gardens included a lake filled with 1,400 mirrored steel balls and a large pumpkin sculpture made from bronze. Several installations were also playfully placed inside the buildings of the New York Botanical Garden.

Find out more about Ascension of Polka Dots on the Trees ›

Paradise Has Many Gates, various locations, by Ajlan Gharem

Saudi Arabian artist Ajlan Gharem used chicken wire to create Paradise Has Many Gates, a 10-by-6.5-metre cage-like installation that can be used as a Muslim place of worship.

The artist wanted the award-winning installation to serve as a reminder of refugee detention centres and border walls while simultaneously demystifying the Mosque by making it literally transparent and open.

Find out more about Paradise Has Many Gates ›

Grow, the Netherlands, by Studio Roosegaarde

Studio Roosegaarde transformed a 20,000-square-metre plot of land into a light installation designed to highlight the beauty of agriculture.

After a trip to a farm, designer Daan Roosegaarde learned of the potential of photobiological lighting technology in promoting plant growth and resistance to pesticides. Inspired by the technology, he installed red, blue and ultraviolet high-density LEDs into a field to create Grow.

Find out more about Grow ›

The Netherlands Pavilion skylight, Dubai, by Marjan van Aubel

This year's Dubai Expo saw a range of impressive pavilions including The Dutch Biotope, which has translucent solar panels on its roof. The designer, Marjan van Aubel, hoped that the colours and lights would demonstrate that solar panels could be beautiful while also powering the exhibition.

"At different points in the day the light, shadows and colours will change and so I hope it feels like a constantly changing immersive experience, similar to the light falling through a stained-glass window," van Aubel told Dezeen.

Find out more about The Netherlands Pavilion skylight ›

Alexander McQueen's Spring Summer 2022 installation, UK, by Smiljan Radić

Chilean architect Smiljan Radić topped a car park in Tobacco Dock, east London with an inflated bubble-like structure for Alexander McQueen's Spring Summer 2022 fashion show.

A panelled membrane was supported by a web of steel tensile cables, forming a transparent dome with views of the surrounding skies. A series of vents in the floor pumped air into the dome to ensure its bulging appearance was maintained throughout the show.

Find out more about Alexander McQueen' Spring Summer 2022 installation ›

Invocation for Hope, Austria, by Superflux

In a year that saw multiple designers use trees to highlight the impact of climate change, design studio Superflux transferred 415 dead black pine trees from Austria's Neunkirchen region to the country's capital for Invocation for Hope.

Living plants were then arranged around the trees and a reflective pool, creating a tranquil oasis in the middle of the Museum of Applied Arts. The designers wanted the installation to embody "a post-Anthropocene landscape where humans learn to live in harmony with nature".

Find out more about Invocation for Hope ›

Photo is by Tian Fang Fang

Light, China, by Ma Yansong

Light is a steel structure wrapped in translucent fabric that shields a small copse of trees in a rural tea field in China.

MAD architecture studio-founder Ma Yansong was inspired by the surrounding nature when he created the sculptural artwork as part of the Art at Fuliang 2021 festival.

Find out more about Light ›

Bring London Together, UK, by Yinka Ilori

In an effort to unite Londoners and encourage them to explore the city's streets again after multiple coronavirus lockdowns, London-based designer Yinka Ilori transformed 18 pedestrian crossings at London Design Festival. Blue, orange, pink, purple and green paints replaced the traditional black and white.

"It's about trying to bring our community back out onto the streets to celebrate," explained the designer, who is known for his socially-conscious approach.

Find out more about Bring London Together ›

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Dezeen's top 10 live talks of 2021

Dezeen rounds up our top 10 live talks of the year as part of our review of 2021, featuring discussions with Neri Oxman, Es Devlin, Joseph Grima, Peter Saville and more.

Es Devlin for Dezeen 15

Es Devlin opened our Dezeen 15 festival this year, which celebrated Dezeen's 15th anniversary with a programme of cutting edge designers and architects presenting their manifestos for a better world.

Devlin joined us live from the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, where she had installed an indoor forest to serve as an events space. During the talk, Devlin presented her idea for a car-free future, and imagined looking back from 15 years in the future at the positive progress made since COP26.

Find out more about Es Devlin ›

Oliver Heath on biophilic design

Dezeen teamed up with CDUK for this live talk, hosted in Dezeen's new Studio Space in London. Biophilic designer Oliver Heath talked to Dezeen editor-in-chief Marcus Fairs about how biophilic design principles can help improve health and wellbeing.

Find out more about biophilic design ›

Joseph Grima on non-extractive architecture

In April, Space Caviar co-founder Joseph Grima spoke to Dezeen about his manifesto for a new mode of architecture that conserves the Earth's resources.

During the talk, Grima discussed how young architects are rejecting "cookie-cutter modernism" in favour of approaches that prioritise conserving the earth's resources, and proposed an overhaul of our current industrial economies.

Find out more about Joseph Grima ›

Neri Oxman for Dezeen 15

Closing the Dezeen 15 festival was designer Neri Oxman, who called for a "radical realignment between grown and built environments".

During the talk, Oxman also announced the launch of her new studio, OXMAN. "We envision it as a kind of a Bell Labs of the 21st century," she said, comparing it to the legendary innovation department of US telecoms giant AT&T.

Find out more about Neri Oxman ›

Sumayya Vally on the Serpentine Pavillion 2021

To celebrate the unveiling of the 2021 Serpentine Pavillion, Dezeen broadcast an in-person interview between Serpentine Gallery artistic director Hans Ulrich Obrist and architect Sumayya Vally.

Speaking from within Vally's pavilion, the pair discussed the influences and process behind her design for the annual commission.

Find out more about Sumayya Vally here ›

Gropius Bau and Hella Jongerius on weaving

In this talk, artist Hella Jongerius and Stephanie Rosenthal, director of the Gropius Bau museum, discussed Jongerius' exhibition Woven Cosmos.

The speakers discussed the healing properties of weaving, and Jongerius' wider creative philosophy centred around design, sustainability and spiritualism.

Find out more about Hella Jongerius here ›

Rex Weyler on environmental activism and design

To celebrate Greenpeace's 50th anniversary, Dezeen hosted a panel discussion headed by ecologist and Greenpeace co-founder Rex Weyler, to discuss the role of designers in environmental activism.

Also joining the panel were Canadian architect Michael Green of Michael Green Architecture and Nina-Marie Lister, professor and graduate director of Urban & Regional Planning at Ryerson University.

Find out more about Greenpeace here ›

Peter Saville on his Technicolour collection for Kvadrat

Streamed live from 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen, this talk featured designer Peter Saville introducing his new Technicolour collection for Danish textile company Kvadrat.

The talk also included Kvadrat's vice president of design, Stine Find Osther, and Dienke Dekker, design manager of the brand's rug division.

Find out more about Peter Saville here ›

How game engines are transforming architecture with Epic Games

As part of our Redesign the World competition in collaboration with Epic Games, Dezeen hosted a live talk exploring how game engines like Twinmotion are changing architecture.

The talk discussed the future of virtual architecture and the growing link between video games and architecture.

Find out more about Epic Games here ›

Reiner de Graaf on his novel The Masterplan

In the last of our top 10 live talks, Dutch architect and OMA partner Reinier de Graaf unveiled details about his latest novel The Masterplan.

De Graaf was also joined by Russian architect Olga Aleksakova, the co-founder of the Buromoscow studio, and architect and writer Mahfuz Sultan.

Find out more about Reiner de Graaf here ›

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Dezeen's top 10 architecture and design videos of 2021

Continuing our review of 2021, Dezeen picks our top 10 videos of the year including exclusive interviews with architects Sumayya Vally and Kengo Kuma and behind-the-scenes looks at the most notable installations of the year.

Serpentine Pavilion 2021 by Sumayya Vally

In the first of our highlighted videos, Sumayya Vally discussed the meaning behind her Serpentine Pavilion design in an exclusive video filmed at the temporary building.

The structure was designed to celebrate and reference London's migrant communities. Vally took cues from iconic cultural spaces such as the Four Aces Club in Dalston, one of the first London music venues to showcase black musicians.

Find out more about Sumayya Vally's Serpentine Pavilion ›

Bamboo ring installation by Kengo Kuma

In this exclusive video produced by Dezeen for OPPO, Kengo Kuma describes how he wanted to create a "spiritual experience" through his Milan Design Week pavilion.

The piece combined traditional bamboo with contemporary technology. Lengths of bamboo were bound to carbon-fibre backing and coiled to form a giant ring-like structure.

The pavilion also acted as a percussive instrument and used reverberating motors, speakers and exciters to generate sound. The percussion was accompanied by a score composed by Japanese violinist Midori Komachi and architectural sound design studio Musicity.

Find out more about Kengo Kuma's installation ›

Isamu Noguchi exhibition at the Barbican

In this video, curator Florence Ostende took us through the Isamu Noguchi retrospective at the Barbican Centre in London.

The video showcased the prolific work of Noguchi, a 20th-century artist who created works in sculpture, lighting, furniture, performance and set design. He is best known for his iconic Akari light sculptures. Ostende described the ideas behind Noguchi's work, delving into the social aspect of his work.

Find out more about the Noguchi exhibition ›

Aurora installation by Arthur Mamou-Mani& Dassault Systèmes

The next video in our round-up focused on a recent installation at the London Design Museum designed by architect Arthur Mamou-Mani in collaboration with Dassault Systèmes.

The installation, which coincided with the Waste Age exhibition, was designed to explore circular architecture. It was created using a 100 per cent recyclable bioplastic made from fermented sugar.

[Find out more about Aurora ›](http://Aurora installation at Design Museum by Arthur Mamou-Mani and Dassault Systèmes)

Scroll wins Dezeen and LG Display's OLEDs Go! competition

The winner of Dezeen and LG Display's OLEDs Go! competition was revealed in this video. Entrants to the competition were tasked with creating innovative new designs that showcased OLED technology's key qualities.

First place was awarded to Richard Bone and Jisu Yun for their design titled Scroll. Scroll mimics an unravelling roll of paper and can be used as both a physical and digital display. This multipurpose design was chosen for its practicalness and innovation.

Find out more about the OLEDs Go! competition ›

Gravity chandelier by Paul Cocksedge for Moooi

British designer Paul Cocksedge told us about his new chandelier 'shaped by gravity' in this video.

Designed for Moooi, the piece was designed to reinvent the traditional chandelier as something more accessible. The video was part of our Design Dreams series with the Dutch brand, which explores how successful designers turned their dreams into reality.

Find out more about Paul Cocksedge's Gravity chandelier ›

Social architecture pavilions at Chart Art Fair

Dezeen created this video showcasing the five architecture pavilions on display at this year's Chart Art Fair in Copenhagen.

Installations responded to the idea of "social architecture", and included an edible dining canopy, a temporary pavilion made from inflatable bags and a human-scaled wire reconstruction of Charlottenborg, the arts venue where the fair was held.

Find out more about Chart Art Fair's pavilions ›

Liquid bathroom collection for VitrA by Tom Dixon

In this video, Tom Dixon described how he collaborated with VitrA to create his first bathroom collection.

Named Liquid, the collection features smooth, chunky forms and soft lines, creating a minimalist aesthetic. "What I'm trying to get to is almost an expressive minimalism, where what you're trying to do is have a very visible functionality and reduce visual noise," Dixon told Dezeen.

Find out more about the Liquid bathroom collection ›

Costume sofa for Magis by Stefan Diez

In this video produced by Dezeen for Magis, industrial designer Stefan Diez explained how he created a user-friendly sofa made from recycled plastic.

As well as using sustainable materials, the sofa was designed to be easily re-assembled, repaired and replaced. The modular style allows owners to configure the sofa in endless formations.

Find out more about Stefan Diez's Costume sofa ›

3D-printed bridge by Holcim and Zaha Hadid Architects

Holcim CEO Jan Jenisch described the construction process behind a new 3D-printed concrete bridge in this video produced by Dezeen.

The project, titled Striatus, was a collaboration between Block Research Group, the Computation and Design Group at Zaha Hadid Architects and 3D printing specialists incremental3D. It aims to demonstrate how concrete, a typically carbon-heavy material, can be used in more sustainable ways.

Find out more about Striatus ›

The post Dezeen's top 10 architecture and design videos of 2021 appeared first on Dezeen.

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Biomaterial companies see "explosion in interest" as sales double in a year

After being confined to small-scale experiments for years, biomaterials finally catapulted into the mainstream in 2021 according to the architects, designers and manufacturers using them as building blocks for a new low-carbon economy.

"Biomaterials used to be niche," said Regina Polanco, founder of bio-based textile manufacturer Pyratex, which has almost doubled both its sales and clients since 2020. "But we've seen a huge increase in need from big corporations."

"In the last year, there's been a real explosion in interest," agreed Jad Fink of shoe brand Allbirds, which has developed a sugarcane bioplastic sneaker foam that's now used by companies including Reebok and Timberland.

Mycelium has been used to create insulation (above, photo is courtesy of Biohm) and Adidas trainers (above)

Plant-based alternatives to petroleum, concrete and steel which can sequester CO2 rather than just emitting it, have recently been backed by a wave of big-name investors, with Adidas and Hermès incorporating fungal mycelium leather into fashion pieces and BMW debuting a concept car with natural latex tyres and a steering wheel made from sawdust.

With growing investment, manufacturers have been able to ramp up their production capabilities while lowering their prices, making the range of biomaterials on offer more readily accessible and diverse.

This means thinking beyond wood, which SOM sustainability lead Mina Hasman describes as "yesterday's material", to include everything from hempcrete and mycelium insulation to seaweed wall tiles, as seen in the prototype home that Dutch design studio Biobased Creations constructed using 100 different biomaterials.

"We built a house on a real scale," the studio's co-founder Lucas De Man told Dezeen. "That was not possible a few years ago."

"Biomaterials are going from trend to reality," he added. "It's going to be the fourth economic revolution."

Natural materials were the basis of civilisation

Before being sidelined by synthetic materials with the advent of the industrial age, bio-based materials derived from plants, animals and other living organisms were widely used by humans to construct the world around them.

In recent years, design students, material researchers and scientists have been tinkering with adapting these long-established solutions for contemporary applications, as awareness grows about the waste and carbon emissions associated with our modern material palette.

Then, in 2021, those with deep pockets also began to recognise the potential of plant-based materials.

"We used to build bio-based and then we went through our 'we are god-like' period," De Man explained. "Now, we have problems with too much nitrogen and too much CO2 in the atmosphere and we've realised that was not the best way to go."

BMW's i Vision Circular concept car has tyres made from natural latex and recycled plastic. Image is courtesy of BMW

Biomaterials can offer a promising alternative to mainstream building products because they are made from renewable resources, which generally emit less carbon dioxide in their production and processing while also being easier to recycle or biodegrade.

When farmed in a regenerative way, they also have the potential to be carbon negative, as plants and organisms like algae and fungi remove CO2 from the atmosphere while they are alive and store it in their cells.

"In general, anything that is natural has the potential to draw more carbon down than it produces," explained Fink, who is the vice president of innovation and sustainability at Allbirds.

Due to a lack of funding, innovations in this space have so far generally been expensive, hard to scale and relegated to experimental projects such as The Living's Hy-Fi pavilion and the fish scale bioplastic developed by graduate Lucy Hughes.

MarinaTex is a fishcale bioplastic by student Lucy Hughes

But Polanco argues this is changing as governments are beginning to regulate polluting materials and businesses are setting their own decarbonisation goals, with nearly 50 per cent of leading companies in key markets from apparel to automotive already committed to reducing their so-called "scope three" emissions from materials.

"I believe that in the next couple of years, many brands won't be able to keep using the materials they are using at the moment because there will be way more legislation," said Polanco, adding that this is also coupled with growing bottom-up pressure from customers.

"Pyratex is a B2B company," she explained. "But at the moment, we are receiving around five enquiries per day from consumers that are asking us where they can find our fabrics. This wasn't happening in 2020."

Architecture firms investing in research

While regulations around the embodied carbon footprint of buildings remain lax, architects are starting to wake up to the importance of minimising not just the operational emissions of their buildings but also the emissions from materials and construction.

As a result, prominent architecture firms including Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) and Snøhetta have recently collaborated with universities on material research projects, investigating everything from mycelium building materials to concrete made with algae or biochar.

"We've been very much in the weeds of looking at biomaterials over the last year, much more rigorously than ever before," said Hasman of SOM.

"We desperately need to reduce embodied carbon emissions and the market and supply chain is quite limited in its ability to offer solutions today."

[

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Ten tactile interiors that make use of natural biomaterials

](https://www.dezeen.com/2021/07/17/ten-tactile-biomaterials-interiors-lookbook/)

Apart from wood, biomaterials have so far only been used to create small-scale buildings such as this year's cork-clad Serpentine Pavilion and The Living's probiotic pavilion at the 2021 Venice Architecture Biennale.

According to Hasman, that's because safety performance tests for their use on structures upwards of four storeys have so far been lacking.

"The applications are still limited because there isn't enough investment, funding and testing to confirm that they're safe to use," she said.

This is necessary in order to overcome regulatory hurdles, which are currently restricting the use of wood, hemp and other plant-based materials in buildings due to fears around combustibility.

Companies need to act collectively

But both Hasman and De Man expect that bio-based materials could be adopted at a mass scale within the next five years.

For that to become reality, companies will need not just to invest in materials but also switch from a competitive to a collaborative mindset, sharing their findings with the rest of the industry as Allbirds did with its bioplastic SweetFoam for trainers.

"We thought it was really important for other companies to get access to it," reflected the company's Fink.

"Not just because we're nice people but because to make it cost-efficient and scalable, you're going to need big chunks of industries, multiple industries, asking for this stuff."

Counterspace's Serpentine Pavillion is clad in cork panels. Photo is by Iwan Baan

With this aim, SOM has open-sourced its research on timber towers while fashion designer Phillip Lim made the bamboo-and-seaweed mesh, which he developed with Pyratex as part of creating a petroleum-free dress, available to all of the manufacturer's clients.

But scaling up bio-based materials also comes with many of the same risks as scaling up agriculture, where industrial farming practices see certain crops or animal products prioritised over all others and shipped around the world, causing emissions, deforestation, soil erosion and a loss of local biodiversity.

"When things grow very fast you always have to make sure that it's ethical," said De Man.

"Because biomaterials are there to change the system, not just to make sure that people don't feel bad about the bad decisions they make."

Biomaterials can help reverse climate change

Over the next ten years, De Man argues, scaling up biomaterials will involve setting up closed material cycles that make use of abundant, local resources and actively regenerate ecosystems rather than exploiting them, so they can act as carbon sinks.

Biobased Creation's prototype home, for example, includes insulation made from reed and flooring made from cattail – two marsh plants, which can help to rebuild the peatlands and wetlands that the Netherlands has lost to agriculture while still generating a profit for farmers.

"So you have this whole material cycle that is solving different problems at the same time," De Man explained.

Pyratex and Phillip Lim developed a bamboo-and-seaweed mesh for a petroleum-free dress

Similarly, Allbirds is currently helping its Merino wool farm in New Zealand to make its operations carbon negative by trapping more carbon in soil through regenerative farming practices such as rotational grazing than is released in the material's production process.

"That's when we move from minimising climate change to reversing climate change," Fink mused. "And that's what we think the next wave of biomaterials needs to need to focus on."

Circularity supercedes degradability

Making biomaterial production truly regenerative also requires a system for reusing and recycling the materials into products of similar value to prevent an excess of biological waste, which could release its stored carbon back into the atmosphere during decomposition or incineration.

"The brands we work with are now much more interested in circularity than in biodegradability," said Polanco. "Because even if you say this fabric is degradable under certain conditions, you can't ensure that that will happen."

Pyratex is already trialling this approach in the form of a take-back programme with Spanish fashion brand Neutrale, in which disused garments made from Pyratex fabrics are returned to the manufacturer to be converted into new textiles.

If the burgeoning biomaterials industry can manage these challenges effectively, we may look back on 2021 as a turning point in the way things are made and buildings are built.

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Dezeen's top 10 hotels of 2021

With the year drawing to a close, some of us are already thinking about where to holiday in 2022. As part of our review of 2021, Dezeen rounds up 10 unusual and impressive new hotels, including Pharrell Williams' Goodtime Hotel in Miami, a 17th-century monastery conversion and clifftop villas on the Jurassic Coast.

Photo is by Guo Zhe

Grotto Retreat Xiyaotou, China, by Studio Avoid

Located in the village of Xiyaotou in the Zhangjiakou prefecture, Studio Avoid designed Grotto Retreat Xiyaotou to reference a collection of traditional cave dwellings in the area.

The cave-like pods take shape as a number of interconnected, brick-clad, vertical volumes each 0f which is topped with large skylights. A winding wooden walkway on stilts weaves between the pods connecting to entrances on the first-floor level.

Find out more about Grotto Retreat Xiyaotou ›

Photo is by Alex Krotkov

Casona Sforza, Mexico, by Alberto Kalach

Alberto Kalach designed this hotel in the coastal town of Puerto Escondido, Mexico with a series of vaulted, brick arches overlooking a large circular swimming pool.

The hotel, which is named Casona Sforza, consists of arched volumes of varying heights arranged asymmetrically. Its design aims to integrate with the landscape and offer guests restful spaces for reflection.

Find out more about Casona Sforza ›

Photo is by Alex Filz

Monastero Arx Vivendi, Italy, by Network of Architecture

Network of Architecture transformed a former Italian monastery into the Monastero Arx Vivendi hotel by preserving and updating the interiors.

Located in Arco, near Lake Garda, the 17th-century complex was renovated with a number of common rooms, 40 guest suites and a purpose-built wellness area. The designers sought to conserve and retain as many of the original features as possible, including a seven-metre-tall perimeter wall.

Find out more about Monastero Arx Vivendi ›

Photo is by Alice Gao

Goodtime Hotel, US, by Ken Fulk and Morris Adjmi

With architecture by Morris Adjmi and interiors by American designer Ken Fulk, music producer Pharrell Williams' Goodtime Hotel in Miami boasts a playful, clashing scheme that aims to reflect the area's famed art deco buildings.

The hotel comprises 266 rooms plus 100,000 square feet of public space including restaurant and pool club Strawberry Moon as well as shops, a gym and a bar, all decorated with pastel hues and bold prints.

Find out more about Goodtime Hotel ›

Photo is by Tian Fangfang

The Seeds, China, by ZJJZ Atelier

Ellipsoidal shingle-covered pods nestled in a woodland area in Jiangxi, China form part of The Seeds hotel by Tree Wow hoteliers.

ZJJZ Atelier referenced nature in its design, using natural forms that would compliment the scenic surroundings. Pine shingles line the exterior of the pods around circular windows, while the underside of the pods was clad in shiny aluminium tiles.

Find out more about The Seeds ›

Photo is by Paradero Todos Santos

Paradero Hotel, Mexico, by Ruben Valdez and Yashar Yektajo

Set on a 5.5-acre (2.2-hectare) plot in Todos Santos, a coastal town in southwest Mexico, Paradero Hotel was designed by architects Ruben Valdez and Yashar Yektajo. The complex was arranged around a low-water garden taking cues from historic California missions.

It is comprised of a series of beige-hued concrete structures intended to blend in with the landscape. Each volume contains guest rooms with sweeping walls, stairwells and corridors, while the interiors were overseen by Guadalajara studio B Huber.

Find out more about Paradero Hotel ›

Photo is by Jim Stephenson

The Clifftops, England, by Morrow + Lorraine

The Clifftops is a collection of five seaside holiday homes in Dorset, England that were designed by London-based studio Morrow + Lorraine.

The development, which is located on the Jurassic Coast, was set within large, exposed walls that mimic the rocky clifftop terrain. Each lodge has a stone and wood interior with views out to the English Channel.

Find out more about The Clifftops ›

Photography is by Luis Garvan, Luis Young and Maureen Evans

Casa Octavia, Mexico, by PPAA

Mexican practice PPAA designed Casa Octavia, a boutique hotel in Mexico City based around fashion label Octavia, with the interiors imagined as an extension of the brand's clothes.

PPAA covered the facade of the hotel in a wooden lattice that shades the interior and creates a delicate pattern of light. Soft and neutral tones were used across the interior offering guests a serene environment in which to relax.

Find out more about Casa Octavia ›

Photo is courtesy of RCR Arquitectes

Signature Villas, Portugal, by RCR Arquitectes

Californian studio RCR Arquitectes designed eight luxury, red concrete villas for the Palmares Ocean Living & Golf resort in the Algarve, Portugal.

Designed as part of a wider luxury development, the villas take the form of overlapping volumes with overhanging roofs and floor-to-ceiling windows.

Find out more about Signature Villas ›

Photo is by Iwan Baan

El Perdido Hotel, Mexico, by Estudio ALA

Located outside a small agricultural town named El Pescadero, this hotel was designed by Mexican architectural studio Estudio ALA. It has rammed earth walls and timber-hewn roofs covered in thatch, showcasing traditional construction techniques while also referencing the surrounding vegetable farmlands.

Suites are housed within individual structures that are organised across the site around communal areas containing the hotel's lobby and restaurant.

Find out more about El Perdido Hotel ›

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Will the extraordinary rise of NFTs continue in 2022?

NFTs experienced a meteoric rise this year but continue to divide opinion. As part of our 2021 review, Dezeen speaks to both sides of the debate to explore what the future might look like for NFTs in 2022.

Digital fashion designer Amber Slooten believes non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are allowing artists to "tak[e] back ownership over their work", with the potential to create "a new society" through the digital asset certification system.

But cryptocurrency journalist David Gerard told Dezeen the industry is already overrun with nefarious activity and will soon be "absolutely destroyed by the authorities".

NFT sales flourished in 2021 with many traditional design fairs, including Milan design week, postponed or completely cancelled due to coronavirus restrictions.

NFTs entered the mainstream in the latter half of the year

The beginning of the year saw Argentinian 3D artist Andrés Reisinger sell a virtual piece of furniture for almost $70,000 in an NFT online auction and a collage by American artist Beeple break records when it sold for a staggering $69 million (£50 million).

By April, 3D artist Alexis Christodoulou announced that NFTs were entering a new frontier.

"We're right at the beginning of the frontier," he told Dezeen. "This is an opportunity to create something beautiful because you're in charge again."

Top: The Fabricant's digital clothing collection. Above: the next Adidas collection will include digital and physical garments

However, it was in the last six months that demand for NFTs really went mainstream. Independent designers were joined in the space by brands such as Adidas, which recently announced that its next collection will include both digital and physical items that can be sold as NFTs.

Facebook's rebrand as Meta in October 2021 brought the NFT phenomenon squarely into the public consciousness. The rebrand confirmed that the metaverse – a digital world where people can experience a parallel life to their real-world existence – was here to stay.

It therefore came as no surprise that Collins Dictionary selected "NFT" as its word of the year.

"Artists pushed the limits of NFTs during lockdowns"

NFTs are the unique identifier that records ownership of a digital asset, such as an image, using the same blockchain technology that powers cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. Designers can create items such as clothes, artworks or even houses in the form of a video, jpeg or gif and then sell the ownership – which is distinct from copyright – as NFTs.

Crucially, the token can’t be traded for any other form of cryptocurrency, and designers are able to sell their work directly to customers on platforms such as OpenSea.

According to Slooten, co-founder of The Fabricant – which made history two years ago when it sold the first digital fashion garment – NFTs captured the zeitgeist in 2021 as life shifted firmly online in the context of continuing coronavirus lockdowns.

"Back in 2019, when we sold our first dress on a blockchain as an NFT, nobody really knew it was called an NFT," she told Dezeen. "That gives a good understanding of what the world was like before covid."

[

Read:

NFTs will usher in a "creative and artistic renaissance" say designers

](https://www.dezeen.com/2021/04/09/nfts-impact-design-architecture-fashion/)

"Because of covid, we had this gigantic surge in digital – digital ownership, digital places, digital products," she reflected. "I think it's because we couldn't leave our houses, that there needed to be a different way of commerce."

London-based visualisation artist Charlotte Taylor agrees, noting that she owes part of the success of her NFT projects such as Architoys to the unique social climate of 2021.

"During the past year in lockdowns, artists have pushed the limits of what NFTs previously were, devising creative outputs, processes and afterlives of the pieces, Taylor told Dezeen.

"I believe these bold movements have increased the demand and brought a greater curiosity to NFTs in a broader spectrum and to a wider audience," she added.

Charlotte Taylor has developed a fantasy architecture project called Architoys

Slooten is a champion of NFTs. She argues that many designers are drawn to the format for its democratizing characteristics.

"The thing that excited me most about this is that we're creating a new society [of designers]," Slooten told Dezeen. "Everything feels really new with platforms like Open Sea serving as a portal into this new world."

It's a sentiment shared by others within the industry. Monty Preston, curator of Saatchi Art's The Other Avatars, a platform of avatars designed by professional artists, highlights how the blockchain technology that underpins NFTs allows the authenticity and ownership of designs to be more traceable.

"NFTs are revolutionizing how creators are compensated for their work," Preston says.

"With the introduction of digital scarcity and ownership provided by NFTs, we can now establish authenticity and provenance, and pay royalties to artists on each sale of their works."

Criticism from investors and experts

Not everyone is as enthusiastic about the potential of NFTs to democratise the design world, however. Despite their meteoric rise, they remain the subject of criticism over the environmental impact of energy-hungry blockchains and ridicule over the fact that although an NFT cannot be replicated, the digital file it is associated with can still be freely copied and downloaded.

The nature of the NFT marketplace has also drawn criticism from wary investors and experts who say it is prone to the same concerns about money laundering and absent regulation as cryptocurrencies.

Only this week, celebrated multimedia artist Brian Eno characterised the NFT world as "hustlers looking for suckers" in an interview with The Crypto Syllabus.

"We have to be careful to distinguish between two things," said cryptocurrency journalist Gerard. "One is the fabulous hypothetical future possibilities of what you might be able to do with NFTs in some future sense. And secondly, the actual real-life NFT market we have, which is awful and reprehensible in pretty much every way."

[

Read:

The environmental impact of NFTs is "horrible" says architect Chris Precht

](https://www.dezeen.com/2021/03/29/environmental-impact-nfts-horrible-architect-chris-precht/)

He claims that the NFTs market is being artificially inflated by those seeking to exploit it for money laundering purposes through sham transactions. As a result, the actual potential financial benefits for designers are smaller than they might seem.

"I'm all for artists getting money... but one of the problems is they often don't. A lot of artists get into NFTs, they think this is finally their chance to get ahead and they don't realise how the whole market is largely fake," he says.

Eventually, Gerard predicts a heavy crash back down to Earth for the NFT market as governments move to introduce more regulation.

"I look forward to this market being absolutely destroyed by the authorities, however possible, then people can get on with doing cool stuff," he says.

Amber Slooten says NFTs have the potential to give "the agency of creativity back to the people". Photo is by Valentina Vos

So what next for NFTs in 2022? There's no doubt that designs are increasingly being made in a virtual setting.

Taylor, who is currently working on developments to her imaginary home Casa Atibaia, believes that next year will see NFTs help widen the appeal of the metaverse.

"The metaverse will be very prevalent in new architectural and design projects, expanding to retail and fashion fields," she says.

"Ironically I’m very much a lover of analogue technologies, so to see the interaction and relationship between the metaverse and reality will be the most curious element for me."

Slooten similarly envisions a year in which NFTs become more widespread as non-designers increasingly realise the potential of creating digital designs themselves. She cites The Fabricant Studio, the new platform set to launch next year on The Fabricant, where people can create clothes and sell them as NFTs, as an example.

"This is giving the agency of creativity back to the people," she explained. "We're really excited about enabling this new creative economy and creating a new fashion ecosystem that doesn't exploit but actually accelerates and creates more wealth for everyone."

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Dezeen's top 10 rebrands of 2021

Continuing our 2021 review, Dezeen looks back on a year of high-profile rebrands including Facebook changing its name to Meta and Volvo adopting a flat logo.

Peugeot by Peugeot Design Lab

The first of three car manufacturers to feature in this list is French brand, Peugeot. This year, the company released a new version of its logo for the first time in a decade to mark a new era of building electric vehicles.

As with every version of Peugeot's logo since 1847, the lion is still central to the design: a stylised head with mane sits in the middle of a shield emblazoned with the brand's name. However, unlike the previous logo, the design no longer includes the lion's body.

Find out more about the Peugeot rebrand ›

Burger King by Jones Knowles Ritchie

Twenty years on from the last Burger King logo revamp, the American fast-food restaurant rebranded this year with new packaging, uniforms and a logo.

Its new visual identity harks back to the flat logo used by the brand in the 1970s, 80s and 90s. The chain hopes that the restyle "pays homage to the brand's heritage with a refined design that's confident, simple and fun."

Find out more about Burger King's rebrand ›

Meta by Meta

The parent company of social media giant Facebook changed its name and logo to Meta in a move that propelled the brand further into the direction of the metaverse.

This new name, which translates to "beyond" in Greek, is often associated with possibility and the future. It appears along with the new infinity loop logo within all apps owned by the company including Whatsapp, Instagram and Messenger.

Find out more about Meta's rebrand ›

CIA by unknown

America's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) unveiled a new brand identity in January with a new logo and an updated website designed to attract a more diverse employee base.

The CIA website now has a clean, sans-serif typeface as well as a new circular logo with a background of fractal lines. A border formed of the words Central Intelligence Agency frames the design. In true espionage fashion, the agency refused to disclose the designer behind its new look.

Find out more about the CIA rebrand ›

The Moholy-Nagy Foundation by Pentagram

Design consultancy Pentagram created new monochrome branding for The Moholy-Nagy Foundation, an organisation that aims to preserve the legacy of renowned artist László Moholy-Nagy.

Pentagram partner Marina Willer and her team were asked to design an "expressive" visual identity that embodies the style and methods used by the artist such as his photograms – images made by laying objects onto photographic paper and exposing it to light.

Find out more about The Moholy-Nagy Foundation rebrand ›

The White House by Wide Eye

Creative agency Wide Eye updated the White House logo after Republican president Donald Trump left office. The updated design, which is a slightly more detailed and architectural depiction of the White House, was intended to convey Joe Biden's "desire to bring the country together" following a tumultuous few years.

"This is symbolic of the president's desire to bring the country together: conveying a sense of openness, warmth, inclusion, and humanity," explained the agency.

Find out more about The White House rebrand ›

MIDI, by Pentagram

Pentagram makes this list again with its brand identity for Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI), the global standard that allows digital musical instruments to talk to each other.

Yuri Suzuki, a musician and Pentagram partner, worked with the graphic designer and partner Sascha Lobe on the update. The logo, which looks like an abstract letter M, replaces its previous wordmark and follows the 2020 release of MIDI 2.0, the first major update of the standard in over 35 years.

Find out more about MIDI's rebrand ›

Volvo by Volvo

Swedish carmaker Volvo joined BMW, MINI and Volkswagen in officially replacing its three-dimensional emblem with a flat, two-dimensional version. It bears a resemblance to other two-dimensional logos created by automotive brands looking to adapt their visual identity to an increasingly digital world.

The company believes that the flat, less colourful logo is a more "modern" reinterpretation of its longstanding Iron Mark logo. It still retains the same circular shape and upward-pointing arrow first used by the brand in 1927.

Find out more about Volvo's rebrand ›

Inter Milan by Bureau Borsche

Graphic design studio Bureau Borsche redesigned the logo for Italian football club Inter Milan as part of an effort to promote the club beyond sport.

The studio updated the original logo designed by painter Giorgio Muggiani in 1908 by producing a simplified crest and removing the letters FC, which stand for football club.

Find out more about the Inter Milan rebrand ›

General Motors by General Motors

An eye-catching bright blue and a softer border was used to modernise the logo of American automotive company General Motors. The firm's old logo, which had thick white letters superimposed onto a navy background, had remained largely the same since 1964.

The redesign is part of the company's pivot towards electric vehicles and "a zero-emissions future".

Find out more about the General Motors rebrand ›

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Dezeen's top 10 non-fossil fuel car and truck designs of 2021

Electric vehicles were a hot topic this year amid growing concern about the climate impact of petrol and diesel engines. For our review of 2021 Dezeen rounds up 10 non-fossil-fueled vehicles, including a coupe designed by Virgil Abloh and an electric car by Heatherwick Studio.

Photo courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

Project Maybach by Virgil Abloh and Mercedes-Benz

German carmaker Mercedes-Benz unveiled Project Maybach, a solar-cell-powered electric show car developed in partnership with Virgil Abloh, shortly after the American fashion designer's death.

The off-road coupe is nearly six metres long and has a transparent front bonnet housing solar cells that would be used to charge the battery.

Find out more about Project Maybach ›

Image courtesy of Hyundai Motor Company

Heritage Series Grandeur by Hyundai

The Heritage Series Grandeur is a modernised, all-electric concept version of the 1980s Hyundai Grandeur saloon car.

It retains the original car's boxy shape and single-spoke steering wheel while introducing 2021-ready updates, such as LED headlights and an ultra-wide touch screen dashboard display.

Find out more about the Heritage Series Grandeur ›

Photo courtesy of Renault

Renault 4L Suite No.4 by Mathieu Lehanneur

Another example of a classic car given an electrified makeover, the Renault 4L Suite No.4 has the same lines and exterior dimensions as the 1960s original but features new panoramic windows across much of its back, sides and roof. The roof also contains transparent solar panels.

It was dreamed up by French designer Mathieu Lehanneur, who said the Suite No.4 "isn't a car, it's travel architecture".

Find out more about the Suite No.4 ›

Photo is by Yanli Tao, courtesy of Heatherwick Studio

Airo by Heatherwick Studio

British designer Thomas Heatherwick's studio this year unveiled its prototype of Airo, an electric car created for Chinese brand IM Motors that is set to go into production in 2023.

Heatherwick has promised Airo will "vacuum up pollutants from other cars" as it drives, by virtue of it being fitted with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtering system.

Find out more about Airo ›

Photo is by Richard Thompson III

Pickup by Canoo

In November, US automotive start-up Canoo introduced an all-electric pickup truck with a variety of hidden tricks.

For example, the modular truck bed is extendable, while there is a fold-out workbench in the space where the engine would traditionally be found.

Find out more about the Canoo Pickup ›

Image courtesy of XPeng

Flying car by XPeng

Chinese manufacturer XPeng plans to mass-release this electric flying car as soon as 2024.

The design is unusual among urban air motility vehicle concepts in that it would be capable of driving on the road as well as functioning in the air, with a foldable dual rotor mechanism converting it from a car to a flying machine.

Find out more about the XPeng flying car ›

Image courtesy of Lexus

ROV Concept by Lexus

This off-road buggy is not electric but instead runs an internal combustion engine that uses hydrogen in place of fossil fuel.

Lexus, which developed the concept, said the vehicle generates "near-zero emissions" while retaining the rumbling engine tone and instant responsiveness beloved by petrol heads.

Find out more about the ROV Concept ›

Image courtesy of PriestmanGoode

New Car for London by PriestmanGoode

The New Car for London is a driverless, electric ride-hailing vehicle concept designed by PriestmanGoode.

It is intended to be specific to London to combat the global domination of major ride-sharing apps, with the car's angular profile informed by the British capital's brutalist buildings and its interiors reminiscent of the Tube's distinctive upholstery.

Find out more about the New Car for London ›

Image courtesy of BMW

i Vision Circular by BMW

BMW's i Vision Circular concept car is electric, but what sets it apart from other battery-powered vehicles is its ability to disassemble at the touch of a button.

Designed to demonstrate how the automobile industry could embrace circular economic principles, it is made from recycled and recyclable materials and held together by detachable connections, rather than permanent adhesives, so the parts can be separated and reused.

Find out more about the i Vision Circular ›

Photo courtesy of Volta Trucks

Volta Zero by Volta Trucks and Astheimer

This 16-tonne electric lorry, developed by Swedish startup Volta Trucks in collaboration with Warwick-based consultancy Astheimer, was named product design of the year at the 2021 Dezeen Awards.

By placing the batteries in the chassis, the designers were able to free up space in the driver's cab, with the low, central sitting position and panoramic windows intended to be safer for pedestrians and other road users than standard heavy goods vehicles.

Find out more about the Volta Zero ›

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