We may earn a commission from links on this page.Blenders are a staple appliance for all kinds of cooks, and if you're one of them then heres an upgrade you should consider. In my 12+ years as a professional chef, most of the time I would tell folks to consider a good food processor instead of a blender. That is, until I tested the Vitamix Ascent X5. After some rigorous food testing of this Vitamixs features, I must say, Im pretty damn impressed.The Vitamix Ascent X5Vitamix is a well-established name in the blender world, so it didnt surprise me that the newest line of their brand would be a force to reckon with. There are four models in the Ascent X series, the X2, X3, X4, and X5, ranging in price from $550 to $750. These arent budget models, thats for sure. Keep in mind that good blenders from lower-priced brands are still $200 or more. Vitamix Ascent X5 $649.95 at Vitamix $749.95 Save $100.00 Shop Now Shop Now $649.95 at Vitamix $749.95 Save $100.00 This blender has 10 preset programs, including for smoothies, dips, nut butters, and hot soup. It also comes with a tamper (more useful than I imagined), and the digital touch display is backlit and easy to navigate. The display is easy to use and the presets help make recipes even easier. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann This particular unit comes with a 10-year warranty. Not only is it reassuring to know you can get help if you need it, but also that the company fully expects this appliance to last at least a decade. You can think of the expense as $75 per year of use.Even still, I wanted to know if the performance was worth the price tag. So I put the machine through tests that many blenders fail at.Testing the Vitamix Ascent X5Even the crummiest blender can make a smoothie, so I skipped over that and instead set up a series of three trials: bean dip, nut butter, and hot soup. These recipes have sticky ingredients that most blenders cant fully run down, let alone make into a smooth paste. The soup might seem easy, but the special task here is that Vitamix claims you can make and heat the soup right in the blender. Apparently the friction of the blade will get hot enough to heat an entire batch of soup in about seven minutes.The bean dip testI decided this was a good time to make my favorite kalamata and white bean dip, so I gathered the ingredients and chucked them in. I normally make this dish in my food processor. Since beans are sticky, if I make this (or any other bean dip) in a blender some beans get smashed just above the blade, leaving the bottom beans to over-pure and the top beans to barely get crushed. It becomes an annoying process of stopping the machine and pushing beans down multiple times. Mid-blend, as the Vitamix finishes the preset dip cycle. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann Not with the Vitamix Ascent X5, however. I navigated to the dip preset with the rotating knob and pressed start. The machine used two different preset speeds to absolutely devour the ingredients. In less than three minutes I had the smoothest kalamata bean dip ever. The only thing I missed from my food processor was pulsing in a few olives, so I chopped them up with a knife instead and mixed them into the dip at the end.The hot soup testFor this test, I decided to make a simple tomato soup. I knew at this point that the soup would be smooth, so I basically wanted to see if the heating feature was all lip service.Well: I was floored. Stunned. Slightly intimidated. This machine did exactly as promised and made me perfectly hot soup.I roasted tomatoes in the oven and added them, seeds and all, to the blender. I dropped in a few roasted garlic cloves, tomato paste, chicken broth and seasonings, navigated to the hot soup icon on the touch screen and pressed play. Most of the other features do their business in three minutes or so, but the hot soup feature carries on for seven. I initially noticed the color of the mixture was pale pink, which you can make out in the picture. After a couple minutes, I didnt see much change so I left the room to check back in a bit. A minute or so after blending began. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann Once I returned with a couple minutes left in the program, there was a markedly different color and steam collecting at the top. The machine was really heating the soup to the point where the ingredients were cooking, to what I now know was a near simmer. Toward the end of the soup cycle, the soup had become bright orange-red. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann After it finished, I tested the temperature: 180F. The soup was as good as if I had simmered it for 20 minutes on the stove, and a texture silkier than my immersion blender could have ever managed. (Keep in mind that it doesnt get hotter than that so youd want to add pre-cooked vegetables to the blender.)The nut butter test I would never ever ever tell anyone to make nut butter in a blender. Youll burn out your motor, end up with an inconsistent texture, or get tired of waiting because it can take 20 minutes of constant blending. Even in a food processor, which is much more equipped for making nut butters, youll be waiting for some time.I settled on making cashew butter this time because the cashews in the bulk bin of my corner store were especially handsome. Nut butters are nothing as far as ingredients go. I dry roasted the cashews for about seven minutes in the oven, cooled them, and added them to the blender. I found the cute nut butter icon and let er rip. This is when the tamper comes in. I was too enthralled by the machines power on the first run, so I started tamping too late, but on the second spin I was smashing and pressing the nut butter the whole time with great success. You must tamp! The Vitamix also has a tamping notification feature in case you need a reminder. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann Within four minutes I had top-quality cashew butter from my blender. (The preset is for two minutes, so if you tamp right away youll be faster than me.) It was faster than opening a store-bought jar and stirring in the separated oil with a knife and cleaning up the resulting oily mess.Is the Vitamix Ascent X5 a good blender?This is the best blender Ive ever usedno contest. One thing that I didnt love, however, is that it's also loud AF. My cats hated it, my fiance grumped at me, I considered ear plugs during the soup cycle. Still, this blender absolutely crushes any challenge you throw at it. Ive never had smoother soups or dips from an appliance. I can actually understand now how and why folks make baby food with this particular brand of blender. Its fast and uncompromising in its velvety results. Making a hollandaise or mayonnaise in this blender would be carefree.Is it worth the price?This is a question only you can answer but heres what I would consider. What do you make, and how often? If you can see yourself ripping soups, nut butters, or baby food on a regular basis then you absolutely should invest in this blender. If you use a blender for smoothies, or sauces every day, or youre considering starting your own at home business where this appliance can serve a purpose, then yes, this blender can handle the pressure.But if you dig your blender out of the closet when you occasionally need it, make smoothies in the summer and store your blender away for the rest of the year, then I would consider a cheaper model from another brand.The last thing you have to consider is cleanup. My favorite feature is the self-clean program: I hate cleaning as much as I like cooking. Unlike other blenders where you have to take the container apart to clean every piece, the instructions forbid you from taking off the bottom with the blade. But that's okay, you see, because aside from a soapy sponge to wipe the tough spots, the self-cleaning feature works like a charm. The Vitamix Ascent X5 is on sale from the Vitamix online store for 649.95 right now, $100 off the original price. Its a great time to nab one for yourself or as a gift.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.The PlayStation 5 Slim has been hard to come by since its release, spurring some shoppers to pay over-market prices from other sellers. But for now, there seems to be ample supply during the Christmas holiday from major retailers. Currently, the PlayStation 5 Slim Digital Edition is on sale for $374 (originally $449.99) after a $75 discount from Amazon, Target, Walmart, and Best Buy. The PlayStation 5 Slim Digital Edition is also available for $399 (originally $449.99). The physical disc version is also available at its lowest price of $424 (originally $499.99) on Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy. PlayStation 5 Slim Digital Edition $399.00 at Amazon $449.99 Save $50.99 Get Deal Get Deal $399.00 at Amazon $449.99 Save $50.99 PlayStation 5 Slim Digital Edition $399.00 at Walmart $449.99 Save $50.99 Get Deal Get Deal $399.00 at Walmart $449.99 Save $50.99 PlayStation 5 Slim Digital Edition $399.99 at Best Buy $449.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal Get Deal $399.99 at Best Buy $449.99 Save $50.00 1TB Storage and Ultra HD Blu-ray Player. PlayStation 5 Slim Console $449.00 at Amazon $499.99 Save $50.99 Get Deal Get Deal $449.00 at Amazon $499.99 Save $50.99 1TB Storage and Ultra HD Blu-ray Player. PlayStation 5 Slim Console $449.99 at Walmart $499.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal Get Deal $449.99 at Walmart $499.99 Save $50.00 1TB Storage and Ultra HD Blu-ray Player. PlayStation 5 Slim Console $449.99 at Best Buy $499.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal Get Deal $449.99 at Best Buy $499.99 Save $50.00 SEE 3 MORE As mentioned, consoles tend to sell out, so keep an eye on stock if you plan to buy, and consider acting quickly. Depending on how close you are to an Amazon warehouse, you might have the option to get it delivered before Christmas. Best Buy, Walmart, and Target all offer shipping that can arrive before Christmas for both versions of the console. (Of course, you can always go pick it up in person if you want.) If you already have the older PS5 and are wondering about upgrading to the slim version, keep in mind that it offers more than just a sleeker design (about 30% slimmer, according to IGN's review). The PS5 Slim also has 1TB of internal storage space, which results in an additional 181GB of usable space when compared to the original PS5. This addresses two of the biggest cons of the original PS5: the bulkiness and lack of storage space compared to the Xbox Series X. The PS5 Slim can be oriented both horizontally and vertically, but if you choose the latter, you'll need a vertical stand, which costs $29.99.

We've made it to 2025, and a new year means brand new titles coming to Netflix. Here's the full list of movies and shows to add to your Netflix watchlist for January.

Google's new AI tool uses images as inputs instead of text-based prompts here's how to take it for a spin.

Amazon leads dynamic pricing with 12.6 daily changes, but Best Buy changes its price only 2.6 times per day.

Police investigating the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on Dec. 4, 2024, have announced that the suspected assailant had used a 3D-printed gun. Several high-profile crimes in recent years have involved this kind of homemade, or partially homemade, weapon.Often called ghost guns because they can be hard to trace, these firearms can be either partially or completely made with components that have been produced in metal or plastic on commercially available 3D printers. The U.S. Supreme Court is considering the legality of current federal restrictions on these firearms.The first known criminal case involving a 3D-printed gun resulted in the arrest of a U.K. man in 2013. But since then, police worldwide have reported finding increasing numbers of these weapons.My research focuses on the economic and social effects of advanced digital technologies, including 3D printing. I see that the use of 3D-printed guns in criminal and violent activities is likely to continue to increase. And it will likely prove ever harder for governments and police to regulate these firearms.Surge in arrests and seizuresArrests and seizures connected to 3D-printed guns are escalating quickly. Between 2017 and 2021, U.S. law enforcement agencies seized and reported nearly 38,000 suspected ghost guns, according to a 2024 report from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. In 2021 alone, 19,273 suspected ghost guns were traced, a significant increase from 8,504 in 2020. The number of seized 3D-printed guns in New York state alone surged dramatically, from 100 in 2019 to 637 in 2022.Arrests linked to 3D-printed guns are also rising. The world recorded 108 arrests in the first half of 2023, compared to 66 arrests in all 2022.North America leads in 3D-printed gun-related arrests, with 166 cases from 2013 to June 2023. Europe followed with 48 arrests, while Oceania ranked third with 24 arrests.The U.S. is a particular hot spot, with 36% of total global arrests related to 3D-printed firearms in 2023. But Canada is close behind, with 34%. The U.K. had 10%, and Australia had 8%.Growing global security threatPolice and media reports indicate that many efforts to acquire or manufacture 3D-printed firearms were connected to plans for violent actions.These guns have been used by diverse groups including far-right extremists, ethno-separatists, jihadists, left-wing anarchists, organized crime groups in Europe and pro-democracy rebels in Myanmar.From 2019 to mid-2022, there were at least nine documented cases in Europe and Australia of extremists, terrorists or paramilitary groups either producing or attempting to produce firearms using 3D-printing technology. An analysis of 165 cases of 3D-printed firearms from 2013 to mid-2024 reveals that 15% were linked to terrorism. Far-right groups appear to be the most frequent users among terrorism-related cases.A widely varied legal landscapeOften, 3D-printed guns are homemade firearms without serial numbers. This lack of identification makes them attractive to criminals because it is harder for law enforcement to link specific guns to particular crimes or suspects. Different countries take very different approaches to regulating these weapons.Japan enforces stringent laws governing the manufacture, possession and sales of firearms. Its legal system strictly prohibits unauthorized firearm production, including 3D-printed guns. In 2014, a 28-year-old Japanese man was sentenced to two years in prison for producing plastic 3D-printed firearms.In 2023, Canada effectively banned ghost guns. It is illegal to possess or manufacture them without a license from the government.In Australia, making a 3D-printed firearm is illegal, and in some states, possessing a digital blueprint to create one is also an offense. In the state of New South Wales, a person convicted of possessing blueprints can face up to 14 years in prison. In Tasmania state, the punishment can be even more severe up to 21 years in prison.Across the European Union, making or owning homemade firearms, including 3D-printed ones, is broadly prohibited. However, laws and penalties vary, with some nations criminalizing even the possession of digital files or blueprints related to 3D-printing guns.In the U.K., where firearms are very restricted, 3D-printed guns have been considered illegal. But in November 2022, the government updated the laws to specifically ban possessing, buying or producing parts for 3D-printed guns. The proposal aims to explicitly ban 3D-printed guns, addressing their unique challenges directly, rather than relying on existing laws designed for traditional firearms. The U.K. National Crime Agency has called for a ban on possessing blueprints as well, and Parliament is currently considering two bills proposing such a ban.Federal rules in the U.S.The U.S. Constitution poses some unique challenges to regulating ghost guns, especially for the federal government, but also for states.For regular firearms that is, those not produced by 3D printing U.S. federal law requires that a key component, called the lower receiver, bear a unique serial number. Purchasing a lower receiver requires a federal background check and conducting the transaction through a merchant who holds a Federal Firearms License.The situation is more complicated when it comes to 3D printing weapons. The First Amendment to the Constitution protects freedom of expression, which includes sharing digital files that could contain firearm designs. And the Second Amendment protects citizens right to bear arms.In the U.S., selling 3D-printed firearms requires a federal license. But producing or owning homemade firearms for personal use is allowed. That includes 3D-printing the lower receiver component, and assembling the rest of the weapon with unregulated parts.Current federal law, under review by the Supreme Court, also requires 3D-printed guns meet specific guidelines, even if they do not contain any currently regulated firearms components. Under the rule, makers of ghost gun kits must obtain a federal license, conduct background checks, record information about their customers and add serial numbers to their products.The type of weapon also matters when determining the legality of a 3D-printed firearm. Automatic weapons, or machine guns, can continue to fire ammunition as long as the user holds the trigger down. These weapons have been heavily regulated by federal law for almost 90 years.Criminals have used 3D printers to produce Glock switches or auto-sears, which convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic machine guns. That turns those items into machine guns under federal law, making them illegal. Owning this kind of 3D-printed conversion device can lead to a maximum of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.In the statesThe states can also regulate firearms, and many are trying to get control of 3D-printed guns.By November 2024, 15 U.S. states had established regulations on ghost guns, though exact requirements vary. The rules typically require a serial number, background checks for firearm component purchases and reporting to authorities that a person is producing 3D-printed guns.For instance, in New Jersey, a 2019 law mandates that all ghost guns have a serial number and be registered. Under current New York law, possession or distribution of a 3D-printed gun is classified as a misdemeanor. However, a proposed law seeks to elevate the manufacturing of firearms using 3D-printing technology to a felony offense.As technology advances and rules evolve, criminals who use 3D-printed firearms will continue to pose threats to public safety and security, and governments will continue playing catch-up to effectively regulate these weapons.Nir Kshetri is a professor of management at the University of North CarolinaGreensboro.This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Its a common seasonal refrain: Christmas just isnt like it used to be.This is not a new complaint. History shows that Christmas traditions are just as subject to change as any other aspect of human societies, and when customs change, there are always some who wish they could turn back the clock.In the 1830s, the English solicitor William Sandys compiled a host of examples of Britons bemoaning the transformation of Christmas customs from earlier eras. Sandys himself was especially concerned about the decline of public caroling, noting the practice appeared to get more neglected every year. He worried that this neglect was indicative of a wider British tendency to observe Christmas with less hospitality and innocent revelry in the 19th century than in the past.Yet the 19th century also produced new holiday customs. In fact, many of the new Christmas practices in Sandys time went on to become established traditions themselvesand are now the subject of nostalgia and fretted over by those who fear their decline. Take, for example, the humble Christmas card. My research shows that these printed seasonal greetings borrowed from the customs of the past to move Christmas into a new age.A British traditionAnnual sales and circulation of Christmas cards have been in decline since the 1990s. Laments over the potential death of the Christmas card have been especially vocal in the United Kingdom, where the mailing of Christmas greetings to family and friends via printed cards was long considered to be an essential element of a British Christmas.Indeed, historians Martin Johnes and Mark Connelly both argue that throughout the 20th century the Christmas card was viewed as just as essential a part of Britains distinctive blend of holiday traditions as children hanging stockings at the end of their beds, Christmas pantomimes, and the eating of turkey and Brussels sprouts.Yet, as these same historians are quick to note, at one time Britons did none of these things at Christmas. Each of these traditions became an element of the customary British Christmas only during the second half of the 19th century and the early decades of the 20th.This makes them all relatively new additions to the countrys holiday customs, especially when viewed in light of Christmas more than 2,000-year history.Industrial revolution and Christmas cardsThe custom of mailing printed Christmas cards began in the middle decades of the 19th century and was a product of the industrial revolution. It was made affordable by new innovations in printing and papermaking and more efficient modes of transportation such as the railway.First world postal stamp the Penny Black. [Image: General Post Office of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland/Wikimedia Commons]The development of this new tradition was also facilitated by Parliaments introduction of the Penny Post in 1840, which allowed Britons to mail letters to any address in the United Kingdom for the small price of a penny stamp.Most historians date the Christmas cards arrival to 1843, the same year in which Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol.In that year, the inventor and civil servant Henry Cole commissioned the artist John Callcott Horsley to design a card to help Cole handle his Christmas correspondence more efficiently.Printed versions of Coles card were also made available for sale, but the high price of one shilling apiece left them outside the bounds of affordability for most of the Victorian population.Coles experiment, however, inspired other printers to produce similar but more affordable Christmas cards. The use of these cheaper cards began to spread in the 1850s and had established itself as a holiday tradition by the final decades of the century.A Victorian invention?While the Christmas card may have seemed like an entirely new invention to Victorian senders and receivers, the first Christmas cards design was actually influenced by other, older British holiday traditions.An illustration by artist Randolph Caldecott summarizing the range of old English Christmas traditions. [Image: The Trustees of the British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA]As historians Timothy Larsen and the late Neil Armstrong have demonstrated, Christmas status as an established holiday meant that new Christmas customs developed during the 19th century needed to connect with, supplement or replace already existing traditions. The Christmas card was no exception to this recorded pattern.In 1843, many Britons bemoaned the disappearance of a variety of Old English Christmas customs. Foremost among these were traditions of Christmas hospitality, including Christmas and New Years visiting, when family, friends and neighbors went to each others homes to drink toasts and offer best wishes for the holiday and the coming year.Scholars argue popular belief in these traditions depended on a mixture of recalled reality and constructed fictions. Foremost among the latter were the popular stories depicting old English hospitality at Christmas by the American writer Washington Irving, published in the 1820s. In fact, Britons regularly invoked Irvings accounts of Christmas at the fictional country house, Bracebridge Hall, when debating the changing character of their nations Christmas observances.Regardless of these old customs historical reality, they nevertheless came to feature prominently in discussions regarding the supposed disappearance of a range of community level Christmas observances, including feasting, caroling and public acts of charity.All of these, it was believed, were endangered in an increasingly urban Britain characterized by class tensions, heightened population mobility and mass anonymity.A union of the old and the newWhile it is unclear whether these ongoing debates inspired Coles decision to commission his 1843 Christmas card, the illustration Horsley designed for him alluded to them directly.The card features a family framed by trestles adorned with holly and mistletoe, accompanied on either side by charitable scenes involving the feeding and clothing of the poor. The center of the cardand the symbolic center of Horsleys Christmas visionhowever, is the family of three clearly defined generations enjoying a collective feast, including the classic English Christmas pudding.They face the viewer, their glasses raised in a toast, directly above a banner wishing them a A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. The central visual imagery of the cardas a paper visitor to the home of the recipientreplicates the social act of toasting associated with the older custom of holiday visits.In fact, Horsleys design invoked many of the same elements featured in Irvings stories. This is not surprising, given that in later life Horsley recalled the impact of reading Irvings depictions of the Christmas at Bracebridge Hall as a boy, and how he and his sister Fanny had been determined to do our best to keep Christmas in such a notable fashion.Refashioning old English hospitalityEarly Christmas cards favored similar imagery associated with the Old English Christmas of carolers, acts of charity, the playing of country sports, games such as blindmans bluff, copious greenery, feasting and the toasting of Christmas and the New Year.A Christmas card. British Museum, [Image: William Maw Egley/CC BY-NC-SA]These Christmas cards were thus novel, industrial products adorned with the imagery of British Christmases past.The development, and ultimate triumph, of the Christmas card in Victorian Britain demonstrates how nostalgia was channeled into invention. The Christmas card did not revitalize the traditions of Christmas and New Years visiting; it offered a paper replacement for them.Industrial production and transportation transformed the physical visitor into a paper proxy, allowing more people to visit many more of the homes of others during the holiday season than they ever would have been able to in person.The desire to hold on to one element of an older, supposedly declining Christmas tradition thus proved instrumental in helping to create a new holiday tradition in the midst of unprecedented changes in the character of communications and social relations.Today, a similar context of social and technological changes has caused some to predict the death of the Christmas card. The history of the 19th century suggests, however, that should the tradition die, whatever replaces it will thrive by drawing selectively on the Christmas customs of the past.Christopher Ferguson is an associate professor of history at Auburn University.This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Renovations and adaptive reuse continue to be key trends in contemporary architecture. Here, Dezeen editor-at-large Amy Frearson names 10 that exceeded expectations in 2024, including a museum with rotating walls and a plant-covered shopping centre.Photo by Juliusz Sokoowski (also top)Plato Contemporary Art Gallery, Czech Republic, by KWK PromesOne of the most ambitious refurbishments of the year saw architect Robert Konieczny and his Poland-based studio, KWK Promes, convert an abandoned 19th-century slaughterhouse into a major new art museum.The building is located in the northern Czech city of Ostrava and boasts six rotating concrete walls. Matching the form of the original architecture, these allow the exhibition galleries to open up to the surroundings.Find out more about Plato Contemporary Art GalleryPhoto by Zhang ChaoNantou Hybrid Building, China, by UrbanusOne of the winners from Dezeen Awards 2024, this project has breathed new life into five adjoining buildings in the heart of Nantou Old Town in Shenzhen.Featuring a series of colourful additions, including playful rooftop extensions and a new exterior staircase, the now-combined blocks accommodate shops on the ground floor and apartments upstairs.Find out more about Nantou Hybrid Building Photo by Nigel YoungTransamerica Pyramid, USA, by Foster + PartnersThe modernist Transamerica Pyramid skyscraper in San Francisco was one of the most high-profile renovations completed in 2024, led by developer SHVO and overseen by architecture studio Foster + Partners.The revamp of the 260-metre-high tower included an overhaul of the lobby and amenities,giving greater presence to the building's cross-braced concrete structure and improving visual connection with the streetscape.Find out more about Transamerica Pyramid Photo by Vladimir de Mollerat du JeuEugnie Brazier, France, Vurpas ArchitectesProving that renovations are possible for education buildings, this clever adaptive reuse project converted a former wholesale market in Lyon into a primary school and nursery.Vurpas Architectes updated theconcrete-framed 1960s building with perforated brickwork and floor-to-ceiling windows, creating classroom spaces that fit neatly within the original structural grid.Find out more about Eugnie Brazier Photo by Alan WilliamsKunstsilo, Norway, by Mestres Wge Arquitectes, BAX and Mendoza PartidaNorway's latest major cultural offering, the Kunstsilo art museum in Kristiansand, provided one of the most impressive building transformations on Dezeen this year.Home to the world's largest collection of contemporary Nordic art, the museum occupies a huge former grain silo building. The design a collaboration between Mestres Wge Arquitectes,BAXandMendoza Partida involved carving out part of the 37-metre-high structure to create a "basilica-like" atrium.Find out more about Kunstsilo Photo by HGEschCalwer Passage, Germany, by Ingenhoven AssociatesPlants are the focal point in this overhaul of a shopping centre and office block in Stuttgart, designed by Ingenhoven Associates.Above the heritage-protected, glass-vaulted shopping arcade, the old upper levels were replaced with six new floors of offices and apartments. These are fronted by balconies incorporating a "natural curtain" of trailing plants, while the roof is a terrace lined by trees.Find out more about Calwer Passage Photo by Anne HoltropSiyadi Pearl Museum and Mosque, Bahrain, by Studio Anne HoltropThe relationship between old and new is carefully highlighted in this renovation designed by Bahrain-based Dutch architect Anne Holtrop in the city of Muharraq.Tasked with refreshing two buildings, a museum dedicated to the region's pearling history and an adjoining mosque, Holtrop's studio developed a textured plastering technique that differentiates between existing and new walls.Find out more about Siyadi Pearl Museum Photo by Leandro BulzzanoSanta Tere Espacio, Mexico, by Oficina de Diseo Colaborativo and Atelier TBDArchitecture studios Oficina de Diseo Collaborativo and Atelier TBD are behind one of the most colourful renovations on Dezeen this year, a cultural venue for a neighbourhood in the Mexican city of San Miguel de Allende.Designed with interiors studio Maye Colab, the project converted a former residence. Its six rooms now boast blue-framed glazing, glossy red tiles and yellow walls, based on hues found during the construction.Find out more about Santa Tere Espacio Photo by Arch-Exist PhotographyWeishan Chongzheng Academy Bookstore, China, by Trace Architecture OfficeThis renovation by Beijing-based Trace Architecture Office converted the former Weishan Chongzheng Academy in Yunnan, a building with a 500-year history, into a new venue for bookseller Librairie Avant-Garde.A new cast-concrete building adds an auditorium and sunken bookstore, while two mesh-wrapped "book galleries" playfully intersect with the existing timber-framed structures.Find out more about Weishan Chongzheng Academy Bookstore Photo by Finbarr FallonNew Bahru, Singapore, by FARM and Nice Projects"Modern tropical" architectural details are celebrated in this refurbishment of a former school building, designed by Singapore studios FARM and Nice Projects.The building's future looked uncertain after the school moved out in 2013, but it is now home to various shops, restaurants, and wellness and culture spaces. Serviced apartments also feature, along with a playground that replaced a former car park.Find out more about New Bahru The post The top 10 building renovations of 2024 appeared first on Dezeen.

Architecture studio MAD Architects has unveiled a round pavilion topped with a distinctive roof called The Never Hut in Foshan, China.Created for The Guangdong Nanhai Land Art Festival, the round hut in the village of Yanqiao sits alongside a river on the site of a school's former playground.MAD Architect has unveiled the Never Hut in FoshanFor the pavilion, MAD Architects aimed to pay "tribute to the collective childhood memories" and channel the site's history to create a playful structure that would be a community asset."This project is about capturing the freedom and wonder of childhood while providing a space for the community to gather, reflect, and imagine what lies ahead," said MAD Architects founder Ma Yansong. "The Never Hut is a celebration of imagination and community a space where childhood memories find a new home."The hut is topped with a "flying saucer-shaped" roofThe structure has a simple form with a bright pink, enclosed central space that acts as a servery,surrounded by an open area for sitting or gathering.It is topped with a "flying saucer-shaped" roof that is supported on a ring of steel columns.Read: Ten projects by MAD Architects with distinctive sculptural formsBright yellow steps lead up to the raised platform, while a trio of colourful discs made from local fishing nets protrude from the top of the structure.The pavilion follows MAD Architects' previous installation in Nanhai District named Timeless Beacon.An open seating area surrounds the central standFounded in 2004 by Yansong, MAD Architects is one of China's best-known architecture studios.Recent projects by the studio include a residential building in Denver with a "cracked open" facade and a giant bubble added to a century-old Japanese house. We recently rounded up 10 projects by the studio with distinctive sculptural forms.The photography is by Tian Fangfang and Zhu Yumeng.The post MAD Architects unveils "flying saucer-shaped" hut appeared first on Dezeen.

We take a dive into the psychology of fonts, looking at how different fonts are perceived.