"The exterior walls will make an excellent canvas for Banksy" says commenter

In this week's comments update readers discussed a monolithic home in Mexico created as a haven for the residents and other top architecture and design stories.

Occupying a corner plot, the house appears as a solid block with only a recessed doorway and garage breaking the solid white walls.

"Pretty intense spaces"

Readers were unsure about the house, especially due to its few windows. "This is how I imagine solitary confinement or house arrest," commented The Resistance, who found the idea of living there rather "mind numbing".

Colin MacGillivray wasn't impressed with the location of the door and believed it "should be roughly in the centre of the long wall with a decent reception space avoiding the awkward long corridor for visitors."

JZ found the spaces "pretty intense" and "monkish" and wondered whether the clients would be able to "maintain the purity of the interior as they break it in".

Alfred Hitchcock believed that "the interior cell walls just need some padding" and that "the exterior walls make an excellent canvas for Banksy et al".

What do you think about this house? Join the discussion ›

"The lemon squeezer and some other stuff was cool"

Readers debated the residential YOO GYE skyscraper in Guayaquil, Ecuador, which will be designed by YOO Inspired by Philippe Starck.

In Alfred Hitchcock's opinion "this project represents everything that's wrong with the world" to which Mark Favermann agreed, stating that "Philippe Starck, who I admire, should just keep his day job".

Romeo Reyes, on the other hand, was impressed: "This brilliant display of Monsieur Starck's design bravado brazenly shows he still has the mojo," they said. "Bravo!".

"The lemon squeezer and some other stuff was cool," commented a disappointed Kevin McGrath, who found the proposal "dreadful".

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"And not an oculus in sight"

Readers discussed a home in Tokyo that was designed for a client with a love of walnut wood and contemporary Italian furniture.

Leo was not a fan of the limited windows and the fact that there is only "one view to the outside". "The need for security sounds less plausible in Tokyo," they continued, comparing the house to the all-white stucco home in Mexico mentioned above.

Higgs Merino commented that there was "not an oculus in sight". A "missed opportunity" in their opinion "but not necessarily permanently," they continued.

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"Rock on, red"

Our latest lookbook, which highlighted eight interiors that are blanketed in shades of red, was also commented on. Projects in this lookbook included an office in Belgium, a bar toilet in London and a mansion in Mexico, which some readers were impressed by and others not so much.

Betty Rubble, for one, felt quite positively about it all: "I dig these, and adore red," they said. "Everyone should do one room all red, have a blast, and get it out of your system,"they continued. "Revel in it, with the full awareness that the day is coming when you go to the hardware store to pick up a gallon of Bin primer."

"Everyone would prefer these reds in grey," disagreed Jb. "Yawn," they continued. "Rock on, Red!"

Apsco Radiales and Don Bronkema, however, would clearly not opt for red, commenting "hellish" and "nightmarish".

Do you like red for interiors? Join the discussion ›

Comments update

Dezeen is the world's most commented architecture and design magazine, receiving thousands of comments each month from readers. Keep up to date on the latest discussions on our comments page and subscribe to our weekly Debate newsletter, where we feature the best reader comments from stories in the last seven days.