The first life-size Barbie Dreamhouse opened in Berlin on Thursday and is being guarded by police after feminist groups and left-wing activists said they would picket the plastic villa. — globalpost.com

If you're in Berlin this May, make sure to swing by the Opernwerkstätten Berlin: Swiss artist, Zimoun, known for his "architecturally-minded platforms of sound," exhibits 318 prepared dc-motors, cork balls, cardboard boxes 100x100x100cm, one of the artist's two current European exhibitions. The piece will be on view until May 24th. — bustler.net

An intriguing design scheme by Berlin/Santiago de Chile/Los Angeles-based practice FAR frohn&rojas is one of the winners of the architectural competition for the new central library of the state of Berlin at the airfield of the former Tempelhof Airport in Berlin. — bustler.net

Klaus Wowereit, Berlin's mayor since 2001, has watched his city become one of world's coolest artistic meccas. But under his guidance, the city has devolved into a backward-looking architectural wasteland in which urban planning only favors the rich. — Der Spiegel

The investor behind a controversial luxury housing complex in the German capital has suspended construction after thousands protested plans to remove a section of the Berlin Wall to accomodate the building. He will try to find a compromise at a meeting with officials later this month. — spiegel.de

In true Studio Berlin fashion, this last summer's group has put together a short film on their escapades throughout Europe. Enjoy! — archinect.com

Tour Total, the latest project by German firm Barkow Leibinger, opened yesterday in Berlin. The 18-story tower, new home to the Germany headquarters of oil company TOTAL, is the first piece of the so called "Europacity" behind Berlin Central Station. — bustler.net

If you're in Berlin this weekend, you might wanna check out this exhibition as part of Gallery Weekend Berlin: JOH3 - J. MAYER H.'s newly-opened residential building in Berlin's Mitte district - will open its gallery space with carpets and furniture from J. MAYER H.'s 2011 exhibition "Rapport" at Berlinische Galerie. The exhibition was organized as a collaboration between the Berlinische Galerie, Euroboden and Vorwerk. A model of the building will also be on view. — bustler.net

The British architect David Chipperfield will oversee a major renovation of Berlin’s Neue Nationalgalerie, a concrete, steel and glass landmark at Potsdamer Platz completed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in 1968.

Chipperfield has worked extensively in Berlin, finishing work on the war-ravaged Neues Museum on the Museum Island complex in 2009. — bloomberg.com

Threats by left-wing activists in Berlin prompted New York’s Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation to cancel a planned stop in the city’s Kreuzberg district for its mobile laboratory, the BMW Guggenheim Lab. — bloomberg

Following the end of World War II, photographer Hein Gorny took spectacular aerial shots of the ravaged German capital. His son Peter explains how Hein defied a flying ban imposed by the Allies and managed to snap the dramatic shots. — Spiegel

This survey is not based solely on quality of life, number of trees or the cost of a month’s rent. Instead, we examine some cities that aim to be both smart and well managed, yet have an undeniably hip vibe. Our pick of cities that are, in a phrase, both great and good... — nytimes.com

Here is a look at the final product from StudioBerlin2011. Video by Spirit of Space. — University of Illinois Chicago (Matthew)

Meet the funky Studio Berliners. — University of Illinois Chicago (Matthew)