This week  the Milan Furniture Fair kicks off—the largest and most important trade fair of furniture and design in the world. A quarter million attendees, including architecture and design trendsetters will descend on Milan to assess new talent and furniture lines, and plot the course of the industry for the next year. So, with the spotlight already on Milan, we wanted to draw attention to the fantastic architectural sites in and around one of the design capitals of the world. These 10 projects represent a narrow (but pretty robust) slice of the city’s rich architectural heritage, but one we know we’d be checking out if we were across the pond! Click through to see them all!

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Yesterday, all eyes turned toward Rome for the election of the wold’s first Latin American pope. Indeed, many of the past week’s headlines have focused on the unexpected papal election and the myriad ancient rituals under way in the Eternal City—one thing is certain, no one does pomp and ceremony like the Roman Catholic Church. It’s no surprise that many of the greatest architects, artists, and designers of Western history have worked for the Church, contributing unmatched visual and spatial masterpieces for the world’s longest-surviving institution. But not all great architecture in Rome is religious in nature; Italy’s capital also boasts some fantastic secular design. We’ve gathered 12 projects we’d be visiting if we were Pope Francis! Click through for the slideshow!

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“Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi”

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Building: Single Family House in Thiva, Greece
Architect: Takis Exarchopoulos & Associated Architects
Location: Thiva, Greece

Why We Liked This: Athens-based firm Takis Exarchopoulous & Associated Architects brings us this simple yet stunning house. Located in the central Greek region of Boeotia, the Single Family House stands isolated amid an expansive patchwork of farmland and Mediterranean woodlands. The massing of the house is divided into discrete volumes, finished with understated materials ranging from local stone and stucco to brushed steel and cast concrete. The height of the house was restricted to a single story, eliminating the need for vertical circulation as well as promoting a more open floor plan strung out along the site. A U-shaped courtyard provides a protected exterior space with its edges defined by the kitchen, dining room, and living room. To the south, a pristine lap-pool extends the living space of the house into the rolling chaparral terrain. See more of this project in the Architizer database here.

Think you’ve got a better project? Submit it for an Architizer A+ Award!

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The eighth edition of Design Miami is officially open! This year, Snarkitecture has designed an inflatable pavilion, ”Drift,” that will greet visitors as they arrive at the event. Luckily for us, Architizer’s fearless leader Marc Kushner is there and has been gracious enough to send us a few shots, up close and personal with the enormous suspended structure. Click through to see the photos!

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Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Charles Correa Associates. Photo: courtesy of David Pereira

For the first time, Lisbon is joining the Architecture Open House initiative, offering free guided visits to 5o amazing buildings and sites throughout the city. Organized by the Lisbon Architecture Triennale, Lisbon Open House will take place on October 6 and 7. The event will provide access to a variety of places that illustrate the wealth of architectural styles coexisting in the sun-bathed Mediterranean city. Read more!

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Walking through Estonia’s capital Tallinn, one can’t help being in awe of architecture and its history. The city harbors a stunning and well-preserved medieval center, with several buildings dating as far back as the 11th century. Some of that brick and mortar is almost 900 years old! What particularly caught our eye during a tour around town were the charismatic doors. See more!

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Last week, we visited Helsinki to have a look at what the World Design Capital of 2012 has to offer. The city has plenty of reason to celebrate this year: 2012 also marks its 200th anniversary as Finland’s capital. Design is deeply rooted here, as the Finns are well known for their love of incorporating beauty into everyday life. See more!

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Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the Cathedral of Christ the Light in Oakland, California has won numerous awards since it opened in 2008. A stunning jewel on the corner of Lake Merritt , the church has a powerful yet gentle presence in the neighborhood. Read more.

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The Yale Center for British Art. Image: Richard Caspole

In 2002, the leadership of the Yale Center for British Art began a process that culminated on Wednesday with the release of a conservation plan by Peter Inskip and Stephen Gee of Peter Inskip + Peter Jenkins Architects. The building, completed three years after the 1974 death of its architect, Louis Kahn, is perhaps one of the greatest structures of the last half of the twentieth century, and shows the directions Kahn was headed as he reached the apogee of his career. Though the building was in good condition, the Building Conservation Committee was formed in order to preserve what the leaders of the Center for British Art see as one of the best works of art in their collection. Read more.

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