Shaping Beauty

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With the Venice Architecture Biennale 2016 just around the corner, we examined some of the key themes already emerging from the world's biggest architectural exhibition, including robotic construction (pictured) and the housing crisis.

Curated by Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena and opening next week, the Biennale will also feature a retrospective of work by the late Zaha Hadid and a proposal for an off-grid village of greenhouse properties. Paulo Mendes da Rocha is set to receive the Golden Lion award for lifetime achievement.

img.1Uber is testing a driverless taxi on the streets of Pittsburgh

In other news, a test vehicle kitted out with radar, laser scanners and cameras developed by Uber's Advanced Technology Center is being tested on US streets in a move widely thought to threaten the jobs of the company's taxi drivers. In a statement, Uber said it was aiming to make self-driving taxis as "reliable as water".

img.2Rem Koolhaas says ZHA can continue to grow after the death of its founder Zaha Hadid

OMA's Rem Koolhaas outlined his belief that Zaha Hadid Architects can continue to grow despite the death of its founder and John Puttick Associates dramatically overhauled its plans for the iconic Preston Bus Station.

img.3Critics compare Snøhetta's SFMOMA extension to a "gigantic meringue" and a "cruise ship"

Critics compared Snøhetta's extension to Mario Botta's San Francisco Museum of Modern Art to a "gigantic meringue" and a "cruise ship", while Beijing studio MAD revealed plans for a Parisian housing block with curvy floors and balconies.

img.4MVRDV completes giant scaffolding staircase in Rotterdam city centre

Dutch office MVRDV completed a huge scaffolding staircase leading up to the roof of an office block in Rotterdam and London's Architectural Association released a film showing its first foray into robotic construction.

img.5Ikea settles with Emeco over claims it copied a Norman Foster chair

In design news, American furniture brand Emeco accepted an out-of-court settlement from Ikea after accusing the the Swedish giant of copying the design of one of its chairs, and the UK government revealed that it is considering building spacesports.

img.6Joe Doucet launches Othr brand for 3D-printed home accessories

Joe Doucet became the latest designer to set up their own brand, launching a range of 3D-printed products by high-profile names, while MIT researchers developed a method for 3D printing artificial fur.

img.7Key projects by Paulo Mendes da Rocha photographed by Leonardo Finotti

Popular stories this week on Dezeen included a roundup of key projects by Paulo Mendes da Rocha, this year's recipient of the Golden Lion award for lifetime achievement at the Venice Architecture Biennale, the new studio of architecture firm Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners and a refurbished Barcelona apartment featuring barrel-vaulted ceilings.

img.8Nook Architects adds new openings and freestanding furniture to Barcelona apartment

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