15 amazing castles from around the world

OpenTravel.com looks at 15 of the most stunning castles from around the world including Japan, Germany, Wales, England, Scotland, Switzerland and several other countries. Combined with beautiful photography these are worth taking a look at.

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Real outdoor living in California

Located in the hills above Montecito, California, the Ladera Residence’s by Barton Myers Associates was designed to take advantage of the site’s striking features, including majestic oak trees and large boulders. The residence is divided into two wings. A public wing includes living, dining and kitchen areas and opens up to the main outdoor dining and lounging areas.

View more here at Arch Daily

Sea Pool by Jason Wingrove

Beautiful film called Sea Pool by Jason Wingrove - worth viewing


Sea Pool. from Jason Wingrove on Vimeo.

Thames Water opens first UK desalination plant

Thames Water has opened the UK's first desalination plant at Becton in East London. The Thames Gateway Water Treatment Works has been opened to help ensure London - which is classed as "seriously water stressed" - has a much-needed back-up supply during prolonged periods of low rainfall. London is classed by the Environment Agency as 'seriously water stressed'. This is because the region's large population means that the amount of rainfall per head of population is very low. London actually receives less rainfall than Rome, Istanbul, Dallas or Sydney.

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The Puma CHALK ping-pong table

Developed for Puma by Studio Aruliden, this attractive ping-pong table combines sport with a social element. Get playing and chalk up a high score! Available from the Conran Shop for $3,900.

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National Parliament Principality of Liechtenstein by Hansjoerg Goeritz Architekturstudio

Having successfully won an international European competition in 2000, Hansjörg Göritz Architekturstudio spent seven years in planning and implementation of the National Parliament of the Principality of Liechtenstein. The design reflects the Alamannic region of the Alps and the democratic purpose of the building.

Read more here on Arch Daily

House among the trees

The landscape of Mar Azul, a seaside resort near Villa Gesell and 400 km from Buenos Aires, is full of thick forest of different kinds of pine trees, acacias and black poplars as well as wide areas of dunes and virgin beaches. Abiding by local building restrictions architects Martín Fernández de Lema and Nicolás F. Moreno Deutsch designed this house among the trees.

Read more at Arch Daily

Test track on roof of world's largest car dealership

Construction has begun on New York and Istanbul based architecture firm GAD and architect Dara Kirmizitoprak's design for the world’s largest car dealership in Istanbul, which features a test track on its roof. The 216,000 sq m development is composed of five stories, two of which are underground, and features 56 cafes, restaurants and refreshment venues, 42 insurance companies, 24 banks and 74 trading companies. Offering 443 different brands and 2526 different types of car, the aptly named ‘Autopia’ can be more accurately defined as an auto-mall after it’s hugely extensive range of commercial features.

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The Electrolux Outdoor Kitchen

Launched earlier this year the Electrolux Outdoor Kitchen is a design collaboration with landscape designer Jamie Durie. The collection is designed to complement modern outdoor entertaining areas and features the Electrolux Integrated Barbecue and the new Electrolux Integrated Burner. The Outdoor Kitchen joins the ranks of other successful Electrolux collaborations such as the Electrolux Jeppe Utzon Barbecue. With as much emphasis on form as function, the Outdoor Kitchen is an impressive addition to the Electrolux outdoor entertaining portfolio.

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Zaha Hadid designed MAXXI centre opens in Rome

Recently opended, Rome's MAXXI National Museum of 21st Century Arts is dedicated to contemporary creativity and thought and offers a laboratory of experiment, study and research. The museum was designed by Zaha Hadid. the Iranian architect commented, 'Densities are distributed around an open campus, which is navigated on the basis of directional drifts. This is indicative of the character of the center as a whole - porous, immersive - a field space."

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Design Observer

Wallpaper Magazine gives you the chance to design your own cover

For their August issue, Wallpaper Magazine is giving readers the chance to play art director for the day and custom-make their own Wallpaper cover. Other famous cover designers have included Philippe Starck, Zaha Hadid and Anish Kapoor.

Once you use the online app to design your cover it will front your copy of the special 'Handmade' August Issue of Wallpaper.

Click here to find out more

The World Cup Stadiums in Pictures

As the World Cup approaches South Africa has invested in five new stadiums and refurbished five others to make the tournament one to be remembered. Some of the backdrops and architectural designs are stunning.

See them all by clicking here