This week BIG revealed a trio of luxury rammed-earth villas in Japan

This week on Dezeen, Danish studio BIG unveiled three rammed-earth villas on the remote island of Sagishima, which marks the studio's first project in Japan.

The villas, named Not A Hotel Setouchi, were designed for hotelier Not A Hotel and created as "extensions of the dramatic topography", according to BIG. They sit alongside a restaurant pavilion and have access to a private beach.

Pamela Anderson in chair — Pamela Anderson's furniture collection was informed by childhood memories

In design news, Canadian-American actor Pamela Anderson has released The Sentimentalist, a 40-piece furniture collection informed by Anderson's memories of "her grandmother's farm along the Salish Sea".

She created the pieces together with Los Angeles furniture company Olive Ateliers using rattan, teak and white-and-blue-striped upholstery.

Twelve studios have been chosen to design new US embassies

Twelve architecture studios have been chosen by the US Department of State Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations to work on diplomatic buildings for the next five years. The studios include SHoP Architects, Weiss/Manfredi and Ennead Architects.

Also in the US, the East Wing of the White House remains a construction site, following Donald Trump's controversial East Wing Modernization Project. This week, Dezeen US editor Ben Dreith asked How long will the White House have a hole in the ground?

National Gallery wing by Kengo Kuma and Associates — London's National Gallery will get a new wing by Kengo Kuma

Architecture studio Kengo Kuma and Associates has been appointed to design the new wing for the National Gallery in London after winning the competition for the project, which will be the museum's largest transformation in its 200-year history.

The studio has also collaborated with Danish manufacturer Dinesen on the wood-and-brick Earth / Tree installation at art centre Copenhagen Contemporary, which draws on the Japanese concept of komorebi.

Line 5 Toronto Subway — The Line 5 - Eglinton line has opened in Toronto

Toronto has completed one of the largest North American underground rail lines in decades, the 19-kilometre metro Line 5 – Eglinton.

The line, which opened in February, has 25 stations in total with a design led by design and engineering outfits Arcadis and AtkinsRéalis, alongside studios Daoust Lestage Lizotte Stecker, NORR, and Dialog.

242 Fifth Avenue by Meganom — Meganom's supertall skyscraper will be topped by an infinity pool

In skyscraper news, Russian architecture studio Meganom has released renderings showing an infinity pool at the top of its 262 Fifth Avenue tower, which will be "the tallest all-residential building on Fifth Avenue".

Meanwhile, one of our opinion pieces this week saw writer Matt Shaw explore why "Trump's presidential library skyscraper makes sense".

Casa Mavra by Taller Alberto Calleja — The angular Casa Mavra was a reader favourite this week

Popular projects on Dezeen this week included a "strong and monolithic" house in Mexico, a timber-lined home near Tokyo and a London housing development with Arts and Crafts details.

Listen to our journalists talk about the key design and architecture stories of the past seven days on our Dezeen Weekly podcast, which this week focused on a dramatic plot twist in the story of Donald Trump's East Wing redevelopment project.

This week on Dezeen

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