#BeOpenARCH
Designed by Manuel Herz Architects, the Switzerland Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka presents a striking vision of sustainability, aiming for the smallest ecological footprint of any previous Swiss pavilion. Lightweight, spherical structures clad in plastic cascade down the facade, creating a visually intriguing interplay between architecture and nature. By integrating plants that overgrow its spheres, minimizing vertical circulation, and employing recyclable materials designed for an afterlife, the pavilion showcases Switzerland’s commitment to a circular economy and offers a compelling model for environmentally conscious design.
More Osaka 2025 must-see pavilions on our blog.
Designed by Manuel Herz Architects, the Switzerland Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka presents a striking vision of sustainability, aiming for the smallest ecological footprint of any previous Swiss pavilion. Lightweight, spherical structures clad in plastic cascade down the facade, creating a visually intriguing interplay between architecture and nature. By integrating plants that overgrow its spheres, minimizing vertical circulation, and employing recyclable materials designed for an afterlife, the pavilion showcases Switzerland’s commitment to a circular economy and offers a compelling model for environmentally conscious design.
More Osaka 2025 must-see pavilions on our blog.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Jörg Hugo’s Ceramic Bodies collection artfully merges the time-honored tradition of porcelain craftsmanship with the precision of digital design and production techniques. Each vase, intentionally deformed through geometric optimization, is 3D-scanned, re-topologized, and CNC-milled, resulting in a captivating interplay of organic forms and technological accuracy. This project exemplifies how digital tools can enhance traditional crafts, creating unique and structurally sound pieces that showcase the potential for innovation within the field of ceramics.
Bold vision for the future of crafts on our blog.
Jörg Hugo’s Ceramic Bodies collection artfully merges the time-honored tradition of porcelain craftsmanship with the precision of digital design and production techniques. Each vase, intentionally deformed through geometric optimization, is 3D-scanned, re-topologized, and CNC-milled, resulting in a captivating interplay of organic forms and technological accuracy. This project exemplifies how digital tools can enhance traditional crafts, creating unique and structurally sound pieces that showcase the potential for innovation within the field of ceramics.
Bold vision for the future of crafts on our blog.
#BeOpenDESIGN
At Milan Design Week, Singaporean designer Tan Wei Xiang presented his Knots Stool series—a minimalist, sustainable furniture project that transforms discarded curtains and blankets into hand-tied seating. Constructed without stitching or complex assembly, the stools are made by weaving salvaged textiles through lightweight wooden frames. The series reflects Tan’s commitment to upcycling and thoughtful design. Through intuitive, hands-on techniques, he reimagines textile waste as a resource, offering a subtle yet compelling statement on sustainable living.
At Milan Design Week, Singaporean designer Tan Wei Xiang presented his Knots Stool series—a minimalist, sustainable furniture project that transforms discarded curtains and blankets into hand-tied seating. Constructed without stitching or complex assembly, the stools are made by weaving salvaged textiles through lightweight wooden frames. The series reflects Tan’s commitment to upcycling and thoughtful design. Through intuitive, hands-on techniques, he reimagines textile waste as a resource, offering a subtle yet compelling statement on sustainable living.
#BeOpenART #BeOpenNEWS
BE OPEN Art is pleased to announce Tandin Chophel of Thimphu, Bhutan, as the Artist of the Region for South Asia in the 2025 Regional Art Competition. A self-taught artist working in oil, acrylic, and watercolor, Chophel’s compelling exploration of the relationship between human emotions and the natural world earned him the top honor and a €500 grant.
We also recognize Pema Yangdon, a mixed-media artist from Thimphu, Bhutan, as the Founder’s Choice for the region. Yangdon’s evocative and wonder-inspiring work earns her a monetary prize.
The BO Regional Art Competition now continues in Oceania.
BE OPEN Art is pleased to announce Tandin Chophel of Thimphu, Bhutan, as the Artist of the Region for South Asia in the 2025 Regional Art Competition. A self-taught artist working in oil, acrylic, and watercolor, Chophel’s compelling exploration of the relationship between human emotions and the natural world earned him the top honor and a €500 grant.
We also recognize Pema Yangdon, a mixed-media artist from Thimphu, Bhutan, as the Founder’s Choice for the region. Yangdon’s evocative and wonder-inspiring work earns her a monetary prize.
The BO Regional Art Competition now continues in Oceania.
#BeOpenDESIGN
At Milan Design Week, Japanese designer Naoto Fukasawa teamed up with playground brand Jakuets to launch Yuugu—a playful, sustainable series of sculptural objects made for climbing, sliding, and exploring. Designed to spark curiosity without instructions, each piece is built to encourage open-ended play and creativity. With bold shapes and durable materials, Yuugu rethinks playground design for the next generation—blending fun, function, and a low-impact footprint. It’s minimalist design with maximum vibe, inviting kids to move, imagine, and interact with the world around them in new ways.
At Milan Design Week, Japanese designer Naoto Fukasawa teamed up with playground brand Jakuets to launch Yuugu—a playful, sustainable series of sculptural objects made for climbing, sliding, and exploring. Designed to spark curiosity without instructions, each piece is built to encourage open-ended play and creativity. With bold shapes and durable materials, Yuugu rethinks playground design for the next generation—blending fun, function, and a low-impact footprint. It’s minimalist design with maximum vibe, inviting kids to move, imagine, and interact with the world around them in new ways.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Koen Boersma’s A Different Turn is a furniture collection that brings woodturning back to life with a modern twist. Using traditional tools, Boersma transforms simple wooden blocks into unique, sculptural pieces with a mix of sharp and smooth patterns that highlight the natural grain. Each piece is a one-of-a-kind blend of ancient craft and fresh design, celebrating both the process and the raw beauty of the wood.
Koen Boersma’s A Different Turn is a furniture collection that brings woodturning back to life with a modern twist. Using traditional tools, Boersma transforms simple wooden blocks into unique, sculptural pieces with a mix of sharp and smooth patterns that highlight the natural grain. Each piece is a one-of-a-kind blend of ancient craft and fresh design, celebrating both the process and the raw beauty of the wood.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Palestinian studio Sakeb, founded by Raghad Saqfalhait and Mariam Dahabreh, reimagines the carpenter’s pencil with a focus on sustainability and cultural heritage. Made from recycled sawdust and bio-based binders from local workshops, the pencil turns waste into a functional, reusable material. Its thick, crayon-like shape encourages bold creativity, while its handcrafted design ensures each pencil is unique. With a nod to woodworking traditions, it can be sharpened using sandpaper, deepening its connection to carpentry and reducing waste.
Palestinian studio Sakeb, founded by Raghad Saqfalhait and Mariam Dahabreh, reimagines the carpenter’s pencil with a focus on sustainability and cultural heritage. Made from recycled sawdust and bio-based binders from local workshops, the pencil turns waste into a functional, reusable material. Its thick, crayon-like shape encourages bold creativity, while its handcrafted design ensures each pencil is unique. With a nod to woodworking traditions, it can be sharpened using sandpaper, deepening its connection to carpentry and reducing waste.
#BeOpenDESIGN
The Néophore series by Lionel Dinis Salazar and Jonathan Omar of Doppel Studio fuses ancient form with futuristic glow, turning traditional amphora-inspired jars into luminous, sci-fi-infused art objects. Crafted from terracotta and finished with a natural enamel that enhances the glow of coiled neon lights, each piece feels like a relic from another world—part artifact, part alien technology. The contrast between earthy materials and electric light creates an eerie, TRON-like vibe, where the vessels appear to pulse with energy, blurring the line between past and future, craft and concept.
The Néophore series by Lionel Dinis Salazar and Jonathan Omar of Doppel Studio fuses ancient form with futuristic glow, turning traditional amphora-inspired jars into luminous, sci-fi-infused art objects. Crafted from terracotta and finished with a natural enamel that enhances the glow of coiled neon lights, each piece feels like a relic from another world—part artifact, part alien technology. The contrast between earthy materials and electric light creates an eerie, TRON-like vibe, where the vessels appear to pulse with energy, blurring the line between past and future, craft and concept.
#BeOpenDESIGN
South Korean designer Junghyun Kim created The Denim Project to give discarded jeans a second life by turning them into handmade home décor. By grinding old denim and mixing it with binders like wood glue, plaster, and resin, Kim forms a durable material used to craft decorative yet functional plates. Inspired by traditional Japanese art, the blue-and-white pieces include hexagonal trays and small display-ready coasters.
Other creative projects that breathe new life into denim on our blog.
South Korean designer Junghyun Kim created The Denim Project to give discarded jeans a second life by turning them into handmade home décor. By grinding old denim and mixing it with binders like wood glue, plaster, and resin, Kim forms a durable material used to craft decorative yet functional plates. Inspired by traditional Japanese art, the blue-and-white pieces include hexagonal trays and small display-ready coasters.
Other creative projects that breathe new life into denim on our blog.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Developed by the graduate of the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague Liselot Cobelens, Dryland rug powerfully visualizes the devastating consequences of climate change-induced droughts by translating real-world data into a tactile landscape. Through the use of varying textures, colors, and distressing techniques, the rug depicts dehydration, loss of crops, land subsidence, and wildfires, making the invisible impacts of environmental degradation both tangible and emotionally resonant.
Find more innovative rug designs on our blog.
Developed by the graduate of the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague Liselot Cobelens, Dryland rug powerfully visualizes the devastating consequences of climate change-induced droughts by translating real-world data into a tactile landscape. Through the use of varying textures, colors, and distressing techniques, the rug depicts dehydration, loss of crops, land subsidence, and wildfires, making the invisible impacts of environmental degradation both tangible and emotionally resonant.
Find more innovative rug designs on our blog.
#BeOpenNEWS #BeOpenART
Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho, a self-taught artist and illustrator from Aotearoa (New Zealand), has been named BE OPEN Art’s Regional Artist of the Month for April in the Oceania stage of the 2025 competition. Representing a rich lineage of Maori and Pacific heritage, Huriana’s art powerfully channels their whakapapa, takatapui identity, and deep political engagement.
Their work, which combines contemporary techniques with traditional Maori motifs, captivated voters with its compelling visual storytelling and strong message of decolonization and cultural resilience. By centering indigenous voices and reimagining the role of art in reclaiming space, Huriana's pieces highlight the intersections of identity, heritage, and collective memory.
As part of BE OPEN’s ongoing mission to spotlight emerging talent from around the globe, Huriana now stands in the running to be named Regional Artist for Oceania, with the final decision coming in July.
Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho, a self-taught artist and illustrator from Aotearoa (New Zealand), has been named BE OPEN Art’s Regional Artist of the Month for April in the Oceania stage of the 2025 competition. Representing a rich lineage of Maori and Pacific heritage, Huriana’s art powerfully channels their whakapapa, takatapui identity, and deep political engagement.
Their work, which combines contemporary techniques with traditional Maori motifs, captivated voters with its compelling visual storytelling and strong message of decolonization and cultural resilience. By centering indigenous voices and reimagining the role of art in reclaiming space, Huriana's pieces highlight the intersections of identity, heritage, and collective memory.
As part of BE OPEN’s ongoing mission to spotlight emerging talent from around the globe, Huriana now stands in the running to be named Regional Artist for Oceania, with the final decision coming in July.
#BeOpenDESIGN
South Korean designer In-Je Lee of Focus Studio reimagines everyday storage with the APT Drawers—a clever fusion of furniture and architectural design. Inspired by the visual and functional parallels between personal organization and apartment complexes, the drawers transform cluttered surfaces into thoughtfully structured, miniature urban landscapes. Featuring building-inspired details like rooftop-shaped handles and engraved “dong” (neighborhood) markings, the design brings narrative and personality into the home. Complemented by geometric accessories that echo communal elements like playgrounds and parks, the piece elevates storage into a playful and innovative exploration of space, order, and identity.
South Korean designer In-Je Lee of Focus Studio reimagines everyday storage with the APT Drawers—a clever fusion of furniture and architectural design. Inspired by the visual and functional parallels between personal organization and apartment complexes, the drawers transform cluttered surfaces into thoughtfully structured, miniature urban landscapes. Featuring building-inspired details like rooftop-shaped handles and engraved “dong” (neighborhood) markings, the design brings narrative and personality into the home. Complemented by geometric accessories that echo communal elements like playgrounds and parks, the piece elevates storage into a playful and innovative exploration of space, order, and identity.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Atomic Keyboard has unveiled a real-life version of the Severance-inspired keyboard, modeled after the vintage Data General Dasher terminals from the ’70s and ’80s. Called the MDR Dasher, this compact 70% keyboard mirrors the one seen in the Apple TV+ series Severance, complete with a raised aluminum body, dark blue and white color scheme, and a quirky layout missing the Escape, Control, and Options keys. It also features a built-in trackball in place of a mouse, and a number pad reduced to arrow keys arranged in a cross.
Atomic Keyboard has unveiled a real-life version of the Severance-inspired keyboard, modeled after the vintage Data General Dasher terminals from the ’70s and ’80s. Called the MDR Dasher, this compact 70% keyboard mirrors the one seen in the Apple TV+ series Severance, complete with a raised aluminum body, dark blue and white color scheme, and a quirky layout missing the Escape, Control, and Options keys. It also features a built-in trackball in place of a mouse, and a number pad reduced to arrow keys arranged in a cross.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Tronco by Furf for Qeeboo redefines everyday storage with a sculptural, tree trunk–inspired design that merges form and function. Crafted from recyclable polyethylene, its cylindrical, textured shape brings an organic elegance to interiors while offering versatile, stackable storage. Optional wheels and a magnetic stacking system enhance mobility and stability, allowing users to customize configurations that suit any space—indoors or out. With its blend of sustainability, tactile appeal, and visual impact, Tronco transforms storage into an expressive design statement, proving that practicality and beauty can coexist seamlessly.
Tronco by Furf for Qeeboo redefines everyday storage with a sculptural, tree trunk–inspired design that merges form and function. Crafted from recyclable polyethylene, its cylindrical, textured shape brings an organic elegance to interiors while offering versatile, stackable storage. Optional wheels and a magnetic stacking system enhance mobility and stability, allowing users to customize configurations that suit any space—indoors or out. With its blend of sustainability, tactile appeal, and visual impact, Tronco transforms storage into an expressive design statement, proving that practicality and beauty can coexist seamlessly.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Crafted from sanded oak and transparent mesh, the Sorpresa chandelier by London-based designer Samuel Wilkinson expands from a compact form into a striking pendant light with a single gesture—offering both visual drama and practical sustainability. Designed to reduce packaging waste and shipping volume, it arrives pre-assembled and unfolds on its own, turning unboxing into a moment of wonder. With recyclable materials, a serviceable bulb socket, and a thoughtful nod to textile heritage, Sorpresa is a standout fixture that balances elegance, functionality, and environmental responsibility.
Crafted from sanded oak and transparent mesh, the Sorpresa chandelier by London-based designer Samuel Wilkinson expands from a compact form into a striking pendant light with a single gesture—offering both visual drama and practical sustainability. Designed to reduce packaging waste and shipping volume, it arrives pre-assembled and unfolds on its own, turning unboxing into a moment of wonder. With recyclable materials, a serviceable bulb socket, and a thoughtful nod to textile heritage, Sorpresa is a standout fixture that balances elegance, functionality, and environmental responsibility.
#BeOpenDESIGN
French artist Raphaël Emine reimagines wildlife shelter with “Les Utopies Entomologiques,” a series of ceramic sculptures created in partnership with 3D printing company WASP that function as both public art and micro-ecosystems for insects and small wildlife. Inspired by natural forms like honeycombs and spider webs, these intricate, porous structures provide functional habitats that encourage exploration and settlement, reflecting Emine’s aim to reintegrate non-human life into human-centric spaces. Through a blend of artistic expression, sustainable materials, and high-tech craftsmanship, Emine’s insect hotels offer a poetic vision of “utopian architecture” for wildlife, blurring the boundaries between art and ecological design and inviting us to rethink how built environments can foster coexistence.
More insect shelters on our blog.
French artist Raphaël Emine reimagines wildlife shelter with “Les Utopies Entomologiques,” a series of ceramic sculptures created in partnership with 3D printing company WASP that function as both public art and micro-ecosystems for insects and small wildlife. Inspired by natural forms like honeycombs and spider webs, these intricate, porous structures provide functional habitats that encourage exploration and settlement, reflecting Emine’s aim to reintegrate non-human life into human-centric spaces. Through a blend of artistic expression, sustainable materials, and high-tech craftsmanship, Emine’s insect hotels offer a poetic vision of “utopian architecture” for wildlife, blurring the boundaries between art and ecological design and inviting us to rethink how built environments can foster coexistence.
More insect shelters on our blog.
#BeOpenNEWS #BeOpenART
BE OPEN Art is pleased to announce Zohaib Mahar as its Artist of the Month for April 2025, as chosen by art lovers around the world from among those featured in our online gallery.
Zohaib Mahar is a contemporary Pakistani artist currently based in Hyderabad Jamshoro, where he is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in painting. His artistic practice centers on capturing the essence of everyday life, offering viewers a thoughtful perspective on the ordinary moments and shared experiences that connect us all.
At the end of 2025, BE OPEN Art Community will select the Artist of the Year from the monthly winners. The recipient will be awarded a 1000 euro prize and a dedicated promotional campaign to help elevate their artistic career.
BE OPEN Art is pleased to announce Zohaib Mahar as its Artist of the Month for April 2025, as chosen by art lovers around the world from among those featured in our online gallery.
Zohaib Mahar is a contemporary Pakistani artist currently based in Hyderabad Jamshoro, where he is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in painting. His artistic practice centers on capturing the essence of everyday life, offering viewers a thoughtful perspective on the ordinary moments and shared experiences that connect us all.
At the end of 2025, BE OPEN Art Community will select the Artist of the Year from the monthly winners. The recipient will be awarded a 1000 euro prize and a dedicated promotional campaign to help elevate their artistic career.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Krill Design’s Ohmie lamp transforms discarded Sicilian orange peels into a stylish and sustainable lighting solution, showcasing the potential of circular design. Made from a blend of orange peel powder and vegetable starch, each 3D-printed lamp boasts a unique texture, vibrant color, and subtle citrus scent, celebrating its natural origins.
More groundbreaking designs made from orange waste on our blog.
Krill Design’s Ohmie lamp transforms discarded Sicilian orange peels into a stylish and sustainable lighting solution, showcasing the potential of circular design. Made from a blend of orange peel powder and vegetable starch, each 3D-printed lamp boasts a unique texture, vibrant color, and subtle citrus scent, celebrating its natural origins.
More groundbreaking designs made from orange waste on our blog.