There's a whole heap of good things in the July icon, issue 085, now in shops - and top of the pile is Sou Fujimoto's stacked up houses in Tokyo. It's the most literal response to increasing urban density you'll see: houses piled up on top of each other like toys. We clamber over roofs and up ladders to bring you the full story.

Not so whimsical but no less fantastical is the work of Gramazio & Kohler, the Swiss architects training robots to serve the profession. We visit their lab and hear how a new generation of architect-programmers and their faithful robots aims to make virtual buildings real. Meanwhile in Italy, we examine a more traditional relationship – that of master and apprentice. Designer Philippe Nigro has learned his trade in the studio of Italian maestro Michele de Lucchi for more than a decade, making a name for himself in his spare time. We take a look inside this increasingly rare practice.

Up front, we've got full reports from the Milan furniture fair and the Shanghai World Expo, plus 40 years of the Boeing 747 and a building that was eaten by a calf. In review we take an aesthetic look back at the UK election, riffle through OMA's complete publications, and journey into space with Greg Lynn, Michael Maltzan and Alessandro Poli. And there's a 40-page special section of products and manufacturers for Kitchens and Bathrooms.

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