#BeOpenARCH
Japanese studio VUILD has created a tower-like sauna in Teshikaga, Hokkaido, assembled from curved, parametrically prefabricated wooden blocks. The three dimension Cypress wood modules were produced using a 5-axis CNC machine, each block holding a distinct shape. The components of varying heights were then stacked into an asymmetrical tower in a manner similar to assembling children's toys.
Japanese studio VUILD has created a tower-like sauna in Teshikaga, Hokkaido, assembled from curved, parametrically prefabricated wooden blocks. The three dimension Cypress wood modules were produced using a 5-axis CNC machine, each block holding a distinct shape. The components of varying heights were then stacked into an asymmetrical tower in a manner similar to assembling children's toys.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Current Window project by Dutch designer Marjan van Aubel uses a process derived from photosynthesis, which plants use to convert sunlight into energy, to harvest sunlight and convert it into electricity to charge small computer devices. The photovoltaic cells covered by organic light-absorbing dyes between the panes are connected to a battery contained within a frame featuring USB charging ports integrated into the window ledge. Each window can harvest up to 25 watts per day.
More window innovations in our blog.
Current Window project by Dutch designer Marjan van Aubel uses a process derived from photosynthesis, which plants use to convert sunlight into energy, to harvest sunlight and convert it into electricity to charge small computer devices. The photovoltaic cells covered by organic light-absorbing dyes between the panes are connected to a battery contained within a frame featuring USB charging ports integrated into the window ledge. Each window can harvest up to 25 watts per day.
More window innovations in our blog.
#BeOpenDESIGN
As part of her project during her studies in Umeå Institute of Design (UID), Swedish designer Moa Lövinder has developed a concept for ’growing shoes’ for children aged 2-3 years. The design seeks to reduce the overall production of children footwear, promote shoe recycling, minimize waste, and ultimately contribute to improved consumption behavior in the long term. Modular components make it easy for parents to replace parts or make repairs at home, which prolongs the shoe’s life and also teaches children the value of maintaining what they have. Additionally, the shoe’s sole is crafted from reused materials, which can be recycled again once it reaches the end of its life.
As part of her project during her studies in Umeå Institute of Design (UID), Swedish designer Moa Lövinder has developed a concept for ’growing shoes’ for children aged 2-3 years. The design seeks to reduce the overall production of children footwear, promote shoe recycling, minimize waste, and ultimately contribute to improved consumption behavior in the long term. Modular components make it easy for parents to replace parts or make repairs at home, which prolongs the shoe’s life and also teaches children the value of maintaining what they have. Additionally, the shoe’s sole is crafted from reused materials, which can be recycled again once it reaches the end of its life.
#BeOpenDESIGN
New York based designer and material researcher Jessica Thies has developed a pair of concept shoes that is literally capable of acting like a living organism. Dubbed Synthiesis, the concept shoes are made from hemp fabric and printed with bio-based ink included with algae that can absorb carbon dioxide from the surroundings and potentially be able to self-clean.
More plant-based shoe designs in our blog.
New York based designer and material researcher Jessica Thies has developed a pair of concept shoes that is literally capable of acting like a living organism. Dubbed Synthiesis, the concept shoes are made from hemp fabric and printed with bio-based ink included with algae that can absorb carbon dioxide from the surroundings and potentially be able to self-clean.
More plant-based shoe designs in our blog.
#BeOpenART #BeOpenNEWS
Raúl Cárcamo, a freelance artist and illustrator from El Salvador currently based in Dublin, Ireland, has been selected the Regional Artist of the Month (July 2024). Raúl has become the first of the three candidates to the Artist of the Region (Central America), an artist who best represents the artistic tradition of Central America: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.
In 2024, BE OPEN Art continues to run BE OPEN Regional Art, the regional competition for emerging artists, whose art best represents their regional, cultural and ethnic identities. The second stage of the second year of the programme run will cover the countries of Central America. The stage will traditionally last three months, and the regional winner for Central America will be announced and awarded 500 euro at the end of September 2024.
Raúl Cárcamo, a freelance artist and illustrator from El Salvador currently based in Dublin, Ireland, has been selected the Regional Artist of the Month (July 2024). Raúl has become the first of the three candidates to the Artist of the Region (Central America), an artist who best represents the artistic tradition of Central America: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.
In 2024, BE OPEN Art continues to run BE OPEN Regional Art, the regional competition for emerging artists, whose art best represents their regional, cultural and ethnic identities. The second stage of the second year of the programme run will cover the countries of Central America. The stage will traditionally last three months, and the regional winner for Central America will be announced and awarded 500 euro at the end of September 2024.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Created as an extension of the existing light installation devised by local designer David Trubridge for the Rotorua Redwoods Treewalk in New Zealand, the Horoeka Tree Pod is a unique 9-meter-high lantern that transforms the daylight adventure into a magical and surreal nighttime experience. The timber structure of the pod is constructed from 24 segments bolted onto two steel rings and suspended from canvas straps around the tree to avoid drilling into the trunk. At the time of completion in 2016, the treewalk, consisting of 23 elevated swing bridges and living platforms to mimimize ecological disruption, was the world’s longest suspended walkway.
Created as an extension of the existing light installation devised by local designer David Trubridge for the Rotorua Redwoods Treewalk in New Zealand, the Horoeka Tree Pod is a unique 9-meter-high lantern that transforms the daylight adventure into a magical and surreal nighttime experience. The timber structure of the pod is constructed from 24 segments bolted onto two steel rings and suspended from canvas straps around the tree to avoid drilling into the trunk. At the time of completion in 2016, the treewalk, consisting of 23 elevated swing bridges and living platforms to mimimize ecological disruption, was the world’s longest suspended walkway.
#BeOpenDESIGN
UOCO is an innovative modular coffee machine conceptualized by Yui Jo, a promising student from Hongik University in Seoul. The all-in-one stackable design is similar to that of a washing machine. A pod-based coffee extractor, similar in operation to popular coffee makers, is complemented here by additional modules, such as an ice maker for chilled beverages on the top and a compact cup washer at the bottom. Each module connects through a central port that distributes power uniformly across the system.
via BeautifulLife
UOCO is an innovative modular coffee machine conceptualized by Yui Jo, a promising student from Hongik University in Seoul. The all-in-one stackable design is similar to that of a washing machine. A pod-based coffee extractor, similar in operation to popular coffee makers, is complemented here by additional modules, such as an ice maker for chilled beverages on the top and a compact cup washer at the bottom. Each module connects through a central port that distributes power uniformly across the system.
via BeautifulLife
#BeOpenDESIGN
Polish brand Vank's creative director Anna Vonhausen has used innovative biomaterial made from flax and hemp to manufacture Vank Cube, a modular furniture system that makes it possible to set up a truly green workspace in any environment and adapt it to the changing needs of its users. The system is intended for interiors where adaptability is key, such as offices, event venues, cafes and schools. The collection features various desks and tables that can be turned into versatile arrangements using add-on elements, such as tops, connectors, and side panels.
More design manufactured using hemp-based materials in our blog.
Polish brand Vank's creative director Anna Vonhausen has used innovative biomaterial made from flax and hemp to manufacture Vank Cube, a modular furniture system that makes it possible to set up a truly green workspace in any environment and adapt it to the changing needs of its users. The system is intended for interiors where adaptability is key, such as offices, event venues, cafes and schools. The collection features various desks and tables that can be turned into versatile arrangements using add-on elements, such as tops, connectors, and side panels.
More design manufactured using hemp-based materials in our blog.
#BeOpenART #BeOpenNEWS
BE OPEN Art is happy to announce that S.M.Khayyam, also known as Syed Muhammad Khayyam, has been voted the Artist of the Month in July 2024.
The young artist from Pakistan captivates the audience with his unique blend of mediums, including drawing, painting, sculpture, illustration, large-scale installations, and calligraphy. Khayyam’s artistic vision centers around the profound themes of decay and history. Through his art, Khayyam explores the inevitable process of deterioration, the passage of time, and the rich narratives embedded in history. His creations evoking a profound contemplation of ephemeral nature of existence gained Khayyam a majority of votes from the visitors of our online gallery in July.
We praise all the featured artists and thank everyone who voted!
BE OPEN Art is happy to announce that S.M.Khayyam, also known as Syed Muhammad Khayyam, has been voted the Artist of the Month in July 2024.
The young artist from Pakistan captivates the audience with his unique blend of mediums, including drawing, painting, sculpture, illustration, large-scale installations, and calligraphy. Khayyam’s artistic vision centers around the profound themes of decay and history. Through his art, Khayyam explores the inevitable process of deterioration, the passage of time, and the rich narratives embedded in history. His creations evoking a profound contemplation of ephemeral nature of existence gained Khayyam a majority of votes from the visitors of our online gallery in July.
We praise all the featured artists and thank everyone who voted!
#BeOpenDESIGN
Central Saint Martins graduates Brigitte Kock and Irene Roca Moracia have created concrete-like tiles made from Japanese knotweed and shells from American signal crayfish, the invasive species, which are among the top five threats to biodiversity worldwide. The duo follows the principles developed by the ancient Romans, who utilized a recipe based on the volcanic ash concrete. The knotweed, which is incinerated after removal, acts as the ash binder, while pulverised crayfish shells are used as the aggregate. Combined with water and gelatine, these ingredients create a strong, homogenous material that cures and hardens without the need for added heat.
More bio-based concrete substitutes in our blog.
Central Saint Martins graduates Brigitte Kock and Irene Roca Moracia have created concrete-like tiles made from Japanese knotweed and shells from American signal crayfish, the invasive species, which are among the top five threats to biodiversity worldwide. The duo follows the principles developed by the ancient Romans, who utilized a recipe based on the volcanic ash concrete. The knotweed, which is incinerated after removal, acts as the ash binder, while pulverised crayfish shells are used as the aggregate. Combined with water and gelatine, these ingredients create a strong, homogenous material that cures and hardens without the need for added heat.
More bio-based concrete substitutes in our blog.
#BeOpenARCH
Aligned with the Sydney Environmental Strategy 2021-2025, Wild Futures is a new housing prototype for preserving and restoring pollinator communities within an urban context in Sydney. Led by Rafael Luna of Boston based firm PRAUD with the Infra-Architecture Lab, the project comprises a house that serves as a tower of native flowering species, attracting urban bees, butterflies, insects, and birds to form a new node in their pollination network. The goal is to demonstrate how architecture can contribute to protecting sensitive biodiversity.
Aligned with the Sydney Environmental Strategy 2021-2025, Wild Futures is a new housing prototype for preserving and restoring pollinator communities within an urban context in Sydney. Led by Rafael Luna of Boston based firm PRAUD with the Infra-Architecture Lab, the project comprises a house that serves as a tower of native flowering species, attracting urban bees, butterflies, insects, and birds to form a new node in their pollination network. The goal is to demonstrate how architecture can contribute to protecting sensitive biodiversity.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Northumbria University graduate Amelia Cook has created a food container that allows hikers to preserve and eat home-cooked meals in the wild. The Savour kit transforms outdoor dining from a basic necessity to a gourmet experience enabling food to be cooked, dehydrated, transported and served. Users can prepare a meal at home using the metal tray prior to being sealed with a lid and placed onto the accompanying dehydrator to preserve the food for up to three months. On the trail, the food can be transported in the same pan and reheated on a camping stove with some of water to regain its original texture and flavour. The kit also includes portable tableware inspired by restaurant plates.
Northumbria University graduate Amelia Cook has created a food container that allows hikers to preserve and eat home-cooked meals in the wild. The Savour kit transforms outdoor dining from a basic necessity to a gourmet experience enabling food to be cooked, dehydrated, transported and served. Users can prepare a meal at home using the metal tray prior to being sealed with a lid and placed onto the accompanying dehydrator to preserve the food for up to three months. On the trail, the food can be transported in the same pan and reheated on a camping stove with some of water to regain its original texture and flavour. The kit also includes portable tableware inspired by restaurant plates.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Vegan designer Erez Nevi Pana uses banana stems and leaves that he has grown himself to create a series of pieces, including furniture and human "cocoons," – shelters for people living in an imaginary tropical version of Milan, which has an unfamiliar climate due to global warming. The furniture collection included the Vegana Banana Bag Chair made of banana fibre, the Tropical Banana Rocking Chair made of banana fibre and net, and the Steamy Banana Hammock made of banana fibre and luffa – a tropical vine vegetable from the cucumber family. The cocoons were featured in a film made by the designer, which together with the items made up an installation called Tropical Milan back in 2020.
Vegan designer Erez Nevi Pana uses banana stems and leaves that he has grown himself to create a series of pieces, including furniture and human "cocoons," – shelters for people living in an imaginary tropical version of Milan, which has an unfamiliar climate due to global warming. The furniture collection included the Vegana Banana Bag Chair made of banana fibre, the Tropical Banana Rocking Chair made of banana fibre and net, and the Steamy Banana Hammock made of banana fibre and luffa – a tropical vine vegetable from the cucumber family. The cocoons were featured in a film made by the designer, which together with the items made up an installation called Tropical Milan back in 2020.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Developed as part of her graduate degree in biodesign by recent Central Saint Martins graduate Maca Barrera, Melwear is a speculative project imagining a future where humans wear bioprinted garments embedded with bacteria-derived melanin as an alternative form of sun protection. With this project the researcher addresses the issue of using conventional chemical sunscreens, which typically contain ingredients that can be harmful to the environment.
Developed as part of her graduate degree in biodesign by recent Central Saint Martins graduate Maca Barrera, Melwear is a speculative project imagining a future where humans wear bioprinted garments embedded with bacteria-derived melanin as an alternative form of sun protection. With this project the researcher addresses the issue of using conventional chemical sunscreens, which typically contain ingredients that can be harmful to the environment.
#BeOpenARCH
The whirlpool-like shape of the Denmark’s new National Aquarium, developed by Danish studio 3XN and titled Den Blå Planet (Danish for The Blue Planet, has been inspired by the whirl streams of the sea, shoals of fish, and the water in endless motion. The building is characterized by a shimmering, ever-changing facade covered in more than 33,000 small diamond-shaped aluminium plates, which adapt to the building’s organic form and mirrors the colours and light of the sky, not unlike fish scales.
More impressive aquariums in our blog.
The whirlpool-like shape of the Denmark’s new National Aquarium, developed by Danish studio 3XN and titled Den Blå Planet (Danish for The Blue Planet, has been inspired by the whirl streams of the sea, shoals of fish, and the water in endless motion. The building is characterized by a shimmering, ever-changing facade covered in more than 33,000 small diamond-shaped aluminium plates, which adapt to the building’s organic form and mirrors the colours and light of the sky, not unlike fish scales.
More impressive aquariums in our blog.
#BeOpenDESIGN
With an integrated a hydroponic planter for growing fresh vegetables, Eva by studio François Hurtaud is an extraordinary fish tank that mimics a virtuous cycle found in nature. The fish waste, in the form of ammonia, which is necessary for photosynthesis, is pumped up to the garden above where plant roots convert it into nitrates and nitrites. This nutrient-rich water then returns to the fish as a food source, while also fertilizing the plants.
More bespoke fishtank designs in our blog.
With an integrated a hydroponic planter for growing fresh vegetables, Eva by studio François Hurtaud is an extraordinary fish tank that mimics a virtuous cycle found in nature. The fish waste, in the form of ammonia, which is necessary for photosynthesis, is pumped up to the garden above where plant roots convert it into nitrates and nitrites. This nutrient-rich water then returns to the fish as a food source, while also fertilizing the plants.
More bespoke fishtank designs in our blog.
#BeOpenARCH
Light is an indispensable element of Sino-french Science Park Church by Shanghai Dachuan Architects that redefines the conventional typology of Catholic churches. Made of thousands of white thin beams, with the load-bearing structure concealed, the church, covering only 65-square-metre area, looks suspended in the air in a purple lavender field in China. The church is made entirely of aluminum square, without any welds, which makes the structure light seismic, corrosion resistant, and environmentally friendly. With the rhythm of poles and beautiful changes of light, the design embodies the pure ethereal spirit of the religious building.
Light is an indispensable element of Sino-french Science Park Church by Shanghai Dachuan Architects that redefines the conventional typology of Catholic churches. Made of thousands of white thin beams, with the load-bearing structure concealed, the church, covering only 65-square-metre area, looks suspended in the air in a purple lavender field in China. The church is made entirely of aluminum square, without any welds, which makes the structure light seismic, corrosion resistant, and environmentally friendly. With the rhythm of poles and beautiful changes of light, the design embodies the pure ethereal spirit of the religious building.
#BeOpenART
Conceived by Christophe Guinet, better known as Monsieur Plant, Sneakerium presents a fun and unusual way to recycle a pair of sneakers. To breathe in a new life into the discarded shoes, the artist places them in an aquarium filled with water, plants and soil. The collection consists of five different Nike sneaker models, each carefully set in a fish tank with different settings, the background color and choice of plants matching the laces of the sneakers.
Conceived by Christophe Guinet, better known as Monsieur Plant, Sneakerium presents a fun and unusual way to recycle a pair of sneakers. To breathe in a new life into the discarded shoes, the artist places them in an aquarium filled with water, plants and soil. The collection consists of five different Nike sneaker models, each carefully set in a fish tank with different settings, the background color and choice of plants matching the laces of the sneakers.