With Russia set to host the 2014 Winter Olympics, officials have already come up with a design to beat Vancouver, the 2010 Winter Games host city.

With breathtaking snow capped mountains that cascade into the sparkling sea, Vancouver was going to be a hard one to beat.

But Populus, a HOK spin-off, has designed a translucent new stadium to be the epicentre of the Games in Sochi, Russia. 

So far all we know is that it will have a shimmering, crystalline skin and lots of sustainability credentials. As for the rest and any kind of detail, um, stay tuned - the Russians are playing their cards close to their chests.

There are plenty of new and shiny towers here, a few cranes on the skyline and a bit of reno work going on thanks to the government's tax back renovation credit, designed to stimulate the economy.

Amid all the excitement, I spotted this down at the marina yesterday. Takes houseboat to the extreme eh? It had a little balcony, a clothes line out the front...all it needed were some weeds on the front lawn...

There were an amazing number of homely houseboats by Vancouver's Stanley Park, which makes me think maybe this could be something for out of work builders to have a go at.

At least it would mean there would be less of these types of houseboats roaming our ever dangerous oceans...

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat has announced the Best Tall Buildings of 2009, recognising a building in each geographic region.

This 115m tall building by Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects/Smith Carter Architects and Engineers was recognised for being completely site specific. Data on wind, sun and temperature at the site was analysed to produce a sustainable tower that uses 60% less energy than a regular office block.

This 220,000 sq m project features 750 apartments, green space, commercial zones, entertainment and education facilities. But what makes it really special is how architect Steven Holl has managed to achieve a porous flow through the building with linked walkways, multifaceted layers and open passages. Its use of colour is admirable and adds to the buzzing feeling of this development.

Architects Skidmore, Owings and Merrill were praised for the efficiency of this design and for the creation of a pedestrian connection through the site, which in turn connects the building to the surrounding environment. It also had a strong sustainability component.

This striking tower that allows for interesting exterior lighting took out the Middle East and Africa category. Judges commented that architects CICO Consulting Architects and Engineers / SIAT Architekten + Ingenieure Munchen GmbH for the lightweight structure that allows for flexible floor plans and efficiencies in construction, economics and energy.

The almost finished 13-storey building in the Lotus Riverside area of Minhang District collapsed almost entirely intact on Saturday, killing one worker who had gone into the building to grab his tools.

Nine people employed by the contractor, project supervisor and developer Shanghai Meidu Real Estate are being investigated.

The probe follows reports that some of the developer's shareholders are government officials.

More than 350 people have demanded refunds since the building fell and the developer's bank account has been frozen.

China's construction sector has long been plagued by quality control problems, with collapsing bridges, highways and buildings often linked to corruption, as officials and contractors skimp on construction materials or issue approvals without proper inspections.

Anyone got a big crane?

Some of the best ideas are born in the bar and now a group of architects seem to have turned to the bottom of a bottle for inspiration.

Croatian architects Entasis won a competition to design new towers in Zagreb, with an eye-catching design featuring two leaning towers and two straight towers in clusters.

Local stirrers have renamed the 1+1 project the Drunk Towers because they look like drunks leaning on a lamp post.

Perhaps the project was born after a pub session got creative?

The towers will be 145m high and are slated for completion by 2011 if the approval process goes to plan.

The historic Lowry Avenue Bridge over the Mississippi River came down with a bang over the weekend to make way for a modern version.

Built in 1905, it was renovated in 1958, but that didn't stop one of the piers shifting out of place and turning it into a safety nightmare.

I've got two clips for the demolition nuts wanting all angles.

Russia Tower was planned for Moscow and would have been the world's tallest naturally ventilated building but has been axed due to the financial crisis.

In February, reports emerged that it was to be scaled down to 200m.

'We have taken the decision not to build it,' Alexei Vedenskiy, head of special project in the Moscow city government told the Daily Telegraph. 

'As to how to use this space, it will either be a park or car park.'

Spokespeople for Lord Foster said his office had not received confirmation of the axing.

The 101km A19 Artenay-Courtenay was completed this week, four months ahead of schedule.

Linking the A10, A6 and A77, it will complete the outer bypass of the greater Paris region.

It is the country's most eco-friendly road thanks to steps taken to prevent any water running off the motorway without being treated first. 

To achieve this, the road has 107 run-off treatment basins as well as animal crossings and lots of trees to suck up that carbon dioxide.

Apart from its environmental credentials, the project is also being praised for its record fast completion.

 

It took just four years to get it up and running from the signing of the concession contract, which concessionaire Arcour claims shows how effective its operator-designer-builder business model is.

Below is a clip of the road's completely bizarre launch, which included line dancing, a giant inflatable giraffe, the Blues Brothers, a man making fire from a stick and donkeys.

Nothing says j'aime la France like some boot scootin' Blues Brothers (hoping my Babelfish worked with that one).

Good old Mike decided to bring a bit of suburbia to Venice in the form of an ugly American house.

But it seemed his construction skills weren't up to scratch and Venice's infamous rising waters claimed the floating house in a matter of minutes once it was towed into place.

Check out the clip, it gets pretty funny about one minute in.