Design of the times

Too many modern flats are samey and soulless. A new book celebrates the architects coming up with creative solutions for our overcrowded cities

Driven by the need to improve city living, New York is leading the way in next-generation manufacturing

More and more household objects are joining the internet of things – even sex toys. Charlie McCann reports on the rise of teledildonics

Journeys to work are getting longer, making commuters increasingly unhappy. Thankfully, designers are coming up with creative ways to cheer them up

There are millions of tonnes of plastic floating in the world’s oceans. But, as this table at the London Design Biennale proves, we needn’t think of it as trash

The popularity of maker spaces is booming around the world. A new one in Chicago, Lost Arts, brings together design, craft and business

As climate change causes more flooding and rising sea levels, architects from Nigeria to the Netherlands are floating some big ideas

Much more than a cheap thrill, the urban slides opening around the world are part of a trend to make cities more playful