David Lawrence's history of the much-maligned motorway service area turns a prosaic subject into a fascinating journey through the British national psyche and the architectural diversity created in the effort to feed motorists.

Patrik Schumacher’s book proposes to solve “the puzzle of contemporary architecture” with arguments drawn from philosophy, sociology, corporate literature, computing and science. But is his grand theory all that convincing?

Christoph Thetard’s pedal-powered kitchen unit puts old techniques to new uses in an effort to reduce our dependence on electricity.

A billionaire philanthropist’s installation seamlessly fuses art, architecture and nature on the Japanese island of Naoshima.

Influenced by houses in hill towns, Olson Kundig Architects’ residence for an art collector is integrated into the rocky landscape by force.

Soft, yielding felt is made rigid and supportive in design duo Raw-Edges’ latest experimental line of furniture.

Following October’s official redesign of the ultimate symbol of Britishness, we invited London-based design consultancy Bibliothèque to give it a whole new identity.

Textile designer Zara Atelj’s research project translates news streaming information into colourful graphics for curtains, clothes and bedsheets.

The speakers have been announced this year’s Design Indaba conference in sunny Cape Town, South Africa. The three-day event has cultivated a reputation for being uniquely creative, bringing together designers from a vast range of disciplines and backgrounds.

Icon 093 is out now! On the cover of the March issue is Chinese artist, architect and dissident Ai Weiwei, leading four features about artists who indulge in architecture.