They’re back in fashion – small, light armchairs with a wooden or tubular steel frame. In the 1950s and 1960s they came to fame as “easy chairs”; now they’ve morphed into “lounge chairs”. For the office or the home.

Vitra Design Museum is devoting not just one, but two exhibitions to Africa. While the one suggests the "re-maker culture" is a blueprint for design in the Global North, the other explores how to achieve architectural independence.

: cast their cosmopolitan lifestyle into tasteful luminaires

Coinciding with this year’s CeBIT exhibition, Kunstverein Hannover is examining “Digital Conditions” – and contemplating whether the user in front of the screen will soon be redundant.

In revamping 250-year-old Haus Thuneke, architect Peter Grundmann concentrated on making just few specific changes – albeit to great effect. Now the stodgy farmhouse structure proudly boasts a delicate extension.

“Spirit” is the name of the competition entry submitted by designer Youyuan Zhao: a dancer enters into dialog with water. Adeline Seidel spoke to Youyuan Zhao about his idea.

Brandherm + Krumrey interior architecture is one of the three finalists in the “Axor Inspiration Project” competition. Sara Bertsche talked with Susanne Brandherm and Hannah Stüber about their entry.

Jens Wendland and Andrea Weitz of Raumkontor seek to transform the usually hard world of the bathroom into a soft, textile world for water. Adeline Seidel talked to the two interior designers about their “Soft Revolution”.

Anyone entering the “Energy” section of the Frankfurt trade-fair halls during the ISH is met by a broad range of different heating systems. Countless brands and technologies may leave the non-trade visitor somewhat nonplussed. The sector: between chaos and self-confident design.

Florian Kallus of young designer duo Kaschkasch shared his impressions at the ISH with Stylepark‘s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. An unadulterated look at water basins, pipes and open fuse boxes.

In Portikus on the mini island in the River Main in downtown Frankfurt Philippe Grohe presented the prizes to the winning “Axor Inspiration Projects”.

The ISH is the world’s leading trade-fair for innovative bath design. Wellness, hygiene and health are the elements from which the physical experience in bathrooms of today are formed.

From “flush melodies” through medical urine test units to monitoring alcohol levels: The new high-tech WCs offer all manner of technical refinements. And above all in Japan they’re exploiting the digital potential pretty much to the full.

Nano-coatings make it easier to clean toilets, and also make lime-scale as good as a thing of the past. As does a design that eliminates the flush rim.

A lot is expected from modern wood burning stoves today. Not only are they supposed to look good, but they have the additional task of feeding into the heating circuit of an entire building. Uta Abendroth spoke with Stefan Diez about the wood burning stove he designed for Buderus/Bosch.

Be it a wellness rocking chair, with a rainwater flush or restrooms with a back door: Students at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts have developed toilets that break with the traditional images of the WC.

How a society deals with people with impairments says a lot about the prevailing social climate. Mind you, the way in which bureaucracy’s quaint logic often succeeds in thwarting aspirations for an ideal barrier-free world is just as insightful.

In the form of the “Axor Starck V” fountain mixer, Axor, Hansgrohe SE’s design brand, is entering virgin territory and conjuring up a vortex in bathrooms. Thomas Wagner talked to Philippe Grohe, MD of the Axor brand, on flowing and calm water, on vortices and other ways of making water a sensible experience.

Berlin architects Augustin + Frank have built a kind of ur-house: Marvelously positioned on the shore of Scharmützelsee and surrounded by pines – it’s as though the countryside glides through the concrete structure.

: makes fabrics from wood and considers itself a “materializer”

Is building in the countryside different to construction work in towns? Do rural edifices possibly need to have more character? Florian Heilmeyer talked to architect Thomas Kröger about three projects in the Uckermark.

Architect Ursula Fuss has designed an extraordinary standard bathroom for hotels. Not only does it look good, it has no barriers.

Ralf Steeg has a dream: one about being able to swim in rivers running through cities again. With this in mind, this landscape designer has developed “Luritec”, a retention plant destined to help keep rivers clean.

Hemp on the wall or vintage concrete? Huge glass windows that can be slid aside with a single finger or frontage with a parametric look? A glance at the most interesting innovations at BAU 2015.

Come to Brandenburg with us! For behind its fences and trees, in the meadows and on the lakes we have discovered amazing architecture well worth exploring.

The former worsted yarn spinning mill in Brandenburg an der Havel is in for a makeover – the brick building is going to be home to studios, office space, a children’s daycare center, and some unusual apartments.

With “Sketch” for Schönbuch Markus Jehs and Jürgen Laub of Jehs + Laub demonstrate how to design a minimalist coat stand. Martina Metzner talked to the pair about their idea, pared-down design, and models of Fritt chews.

For his lifetime achievements Nils Holger Moormann has been presented with the “German Design Award” in Frankfurt. Prompting Florian Hufnagl, former Director of the Neue Sammlung in Munich, to compose a special laudation in words and images.

More than ten years ago Antonio Citterio designed his first range of fittings for Axor, a brand by Hansgrohe. Having done two very distinct series, he created a synthesis with his third: Axor Citterio E. The designer and architect talked to us about risks, confidence and the quality of life, all of which are occasionally associated with selected products.

: are fans of the radical and made the “Nerd”