Hasta La Ideas

Continuing our look back at 2011, here are the five most popular stories from February: first place goes to this house with a slide connecting all three storeys. 

Zaha Hadid Architects are second on the list with the Guangzhou Opera House.

Another entry here for Zaha Hadid Architects, coming in at third with their prototype design for two villas as part of a resort development in Croatia.

The fourth most-viewed story was this nursing home in Portugal, which readers labelled an architect’s dream but a nightmare for its elderly residents. We rounded up all our stories about Portugal later that month.

The timber-clad London 2012 Velodrome by Hopkins Architects comes in fifth, and was later shortlisted for the Stirling prize. See all our stories about the London 2012 Olympics here.

Also in February 2011, JDS Architects completed the Holmenkollen ski jump in Norway and Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners completed One Hyde Park in London, including the most expensive apartment in the world.

CABE and the Design Council confirmed they were to merge, BarberOsgerby were announced as designers of the Olympic Torch for 2012 and Heatherwick Studios were announced as designers of the Olympic Cauldron.

Two Dutch designers launched a bicycle helmet that erupts from its hiding place inside a scarf when triggered by abnormal movements, which later went on to win the INDEX awards.

Meanwhile, we reported from Stockholm Design Week, where our favourite show presented designs among the dried grasses and stuffed animals of the Biologiska museum. We also interviewed Winy Maas of Rotterdam firm MVRDV about their cantilevered Balancing Barn.

See all our stories from February 2011 »
January 2011 review »
See our review of 2010 »
See our review of 2009 »