Seoul’s new architectural marvel has proved to be a success in its first week as a tourist attraction.

Seoul’s Han River will be home to three man-made islands by the end of the year, but Viva –  the first island, opened to the public just last week.

At 3,271 square metres it will be the second largest of the three islands, but for now it is home to an impressive 3-storey structure. The building houses a 700-seat convention hall as well as other attractions, including restaurants and video games.

There are also parks, outdoor terraces and various view-points to really take in the sights of the city. The exterior of the building turns into a light show at night with brightly-coloured illuminations.

The next islands are due to open in September and the entire trio of islands will amount to 20,400 square metres of man-made land.

With Viva’s 3-storey business centre, each island will has its own theme. The second island will be a centre for arts and cultural events, while the 3^rd island will focus on aquatic activities – with special emphasis on yachting as well as other water sports.

The islands can each accommodate around 6,200 people and are guaranteed to generate even more attention from tourists to build on the 59 million people that visited last year.

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Stamp collecting is one of the world’s most long-standing and popular hobbies, with the number of collectors reaching almost 20 million in the United States alone.

Normally collected and carefully stored in albums, stamp collections have traditionally been two-dimensional, although within the modern era this age-old hobby seems to be moving with the times, with the birth of 3D stamps.

Leading the way in 3D stamp revolution is the Netherlands Institute of Architecture, who has teamed up with the postal service in the Netherlands, and created highly innovative stamps, which, when held close to a webcam, shows three-dimensional models of several un-built buildings of architecture offices in the Netherlands.

This stamp-size exhibit, which is in honour of architects and architecture, consists of five buildings, which includes an image of the Netherlands Architecture Institute itself.

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Situated on the north lawn of the United Nation’s campus in New York, a Porte Cochere serves as a temporary entrance for general assembly delegates.

Built by FTL Design, the futuristic design of the Porte Cochere pavilion contrasts dramatically with the old and historical UN buildings which surround this exceptional construction.

Being the first point of contact for UN delegates arriving at general assemblies, this temporary pavilion has a vital role to play in providing great first impressions about the UN to some of the most important political and humanitarian figures from around the world.

Although Porte Cochere is only a temporary construction whilst the original historical building is being renovated, architects working on the pavilion have excelled in designing an economical, ecological and grandly aesthetical structure.

This elegant entrance has been made from the minimalist of materials, which, not only ensured costs remained low, but also means that Porte Cochere can be easily moved.

The design offers a modern entrance to the historical buildings of the UN’s New York campus, the porte cochere design dates back to the late 18^th century.

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Since the bicycle – like we know it today – was first produced in England in the mid-1800s and became so popular that by 1900 more than 10,000,000 Americans owned one, the invaluable invention has undergone some truly remarkable innovations.

Here’s five of the most inventive and innovative accessories for the humble bike.

Pit-in

This table was designed by Store MUU Design Studio and is intended to be placed outside cafes of coffee stands for cyclists to literally “pit into”. The wooden laminated tables conveniently means cyclists no longer have to dismount their bikes to have a coffee as they can stay in their seat and be served breakfast!

The Bike Shelf

Tired of stumbling over bikes and noticing the inelegant nature of bike management when he visited his friends small apartments in New York, designer Chris Brigham decided to fix the problem, and in doing so created the Bike Shelf. Made from solid wood and suspended by a steel square rod mount, the shelf can hold both a bike and anything else, enabling people ‘lacking space’ to utilise the space for items such as flowers, books or even bike accessories.

Handles that function as a lock

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Jaguar, never one to shy away from the limelight, swept up the lion’s share of the headlines at this year’s New York Motor Show.

All eyes were upon the new Jaguar XF, standing proud at the prestigious show, after undergoing, what has been referred to as its “mid-life nip ‘n’ tuck”.

The XF’s makeover included several alterations in its design. Its slimmer headlamps with LEDs coiling around the headlamp’s borders is one of the most noticeable changes of the new Jaguar XF, which give it a more modern, ‘cat-like’ look.

Its central grille is considerably bigger than on its predecessor, abetting the power and supremacy the Jaguar is notorious for, backed up by three chrome-ringed lower grilles.

The rear of this grandiosely suave car is equally as domineering as its front, with its tailpipes poking out of the car’s menacing diffuser.

On the interior, the new Jaguar saloon XF boasts pristinely designed new seats on all models and the interior switches are allegedly more ‘finger-friendly’, with the switches being much easier to read and operate.

Whilst under the bonnet, this four cylinder diesel is – on all accounts – extremely smooth, in-keeping with the Jaguar’s seriously gracious ride.

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