#BeOpenDESIGN
Brooklyn-based designer Han Seungmin transforms the mass-produced stainless-steel fencing common in Asian and West Indian neighborhoods into the White Picket Chair, a piece that fuses functionality with social commentary. Using the same modular pickets, curved backrests, and decorative finials found on these fences, Han turns a familiar urban object into furniture that challenges the idealized notion of the American Dream from an immigrant perspective. The chair bridges public and private space, recalling Han’s own upbringing in South Korea while engaging with the streetscape of New York City. Made to order in Brooklyn, the limited series also supports the New York Immigration Coalition, linking craft, narrative, and civic engagement.
More NYC inspired designs on our blog.
Brooklyn-based designer Han Seungmin transforms the mass-produced stainless-steel fencing common in Asian and West Indian neighborhoods into the White Picket Chair, a piece that fuses functionality with social commentary. Using the same modular pickets, curved backrests, and decorative finials found on these fences, Han turns a familiar urban object into furniture that challenges the idealized notion of the American Dream from an immigrant perspective. The chair bridges public and private space, recalling Han’s own upbringing in South Korea while engaging with the streetscape of New York City. Made to order in Brooklyn, the limited series also supports the New York Immigration Coalition, linking craft, narrative, and civic engagement.
More NYC inspired designs on our blog.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Casio’s Moflin is a small hamster-like robot designed to behave less like a gadget and more like a living companion. Powered by AI, the furry device gradually develops its own personality based on how its owner interacts with it. Through a system Casio calls a 2D Emotion Express Map, Moflin interprets voices, touch, and movement, translating them into emotional responses that evolve over time. In its early days it behaves somewhat like a young pet, but after weeks of interaction it begins to form stronger attachments and express more distinct feelings. Owners can track its emotional state through the MofLife app, while the robot itself responds with sounds, gestures, and subtle movements.
More AI-powered toys on our blog.
Casio’s Moflin is a small hamster-like robot designed to behave less like a gadget and more like a living companion. Powered by AI, the furry device gradually develops its own personality based on how its owner interacts with it. Through a system Casio calls a 2D Emotion Express Map, Moflin interprets voices, touch, and movement, translating them into emotional responses that evolve over time. In its early days it behaves somewhat like a young pet, but after weeks of interaction it begins to form stronger attachments and express more distinct feelings. Owners can track its emotional state through the MofLife app, while the robot itself responds with sounds, gestures, and subtle movements.
More AI-powered toys on our blog.
#BeOpenART
Michael Jantzen’s Interactive Sand Reflecting Cone is a desert-based concept blending public art, land art, and play. A circular concrete ring filled with refined sand surrounds a tall mirrored steel cone that reflects footprints and patterns in warped, unpredictable ways. Solar panels power night lighting, enhancing the piece’s dynamic experience. Designed to treat sand as an interactive, analog medium, it invites visitors to become both artist and audience, while harmonizing with the desert environment. Though currently a concept, it promises a playful, reflective, and visually striking installation.
Michael Jantzen’s Interactive Sand Reflecting Cone is a desert-based concept blending public art, land art, and play. A circular concrete ring filled with refined sand surrounds a tall mirrored steel cone that reflects footprints and patterns in warped, unpredictable ways. Solar panels power night lighting, enhancing the piece’s dynamic experience. Designed to treat sand as an interactive, analog medium, it invites visitors to become both artist and audience, while harmonizing with the desert environment. Though currently a concept, it promises a playful, reflective, and visually striking installation.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Developed by Nike ACG and creative agency Amsterdam Berlin, the ACG All Conditions Cup System is a modular, portable stadium designed for football in extreme environments. Made up of 1,677 lightweight components, including foldable aluminium goals, tripod floodlights and sling-style seating, the kit can be carried, assembled and dismantled on-site. Built with interlocking connections and stabilising anchors for uneven terrain, the bright ACG-orange system enables matches to take place anywhere from deserts to snowy mountains, transforming remote landscapes into temporary sports arenas.
Developed by Nike ACG and creative agency Amsterdam Berlin, the ACG All Conditions Cup System is a modular, portable stadium designed for football in extreme environments. Made up of 1,677 lightweight components, including foldable aluminium goals, tripod floodlights and sling-style seating, the kit can be carried, assembled and dismantled on-site. Built with interlocking connections and stabilising anchors for uneven terrain, the bright ACG-orange system enables matches to take place anywhere from deserts to snowy mountains, transforming remote landscapes into temporary sports arenas.
#BeOpenART
Artist Taylor Smith repurposes obsolete 3.5-inch floppy disks into large-scale, mosaic-like portraits of figures such as Marilyn Monroe and David Bowie. Hand-assembled into grids and layered with screen-printed paint, each artwork preserves the disks’ original labels while transforming e-waste into vibrant, sustainable art, giving discarded plastic and magnetic materials a second life and highlighting the environmental value of reusing obsolete technology.
Artist Taylor Smith repurposes obsolete 3.5-inch floppy disks into large-scale, mosaic-like portraits of figures such as Marilyn Monroe and David Bowie. Hand-assembled into grids and layered with screen-printed paint, each artwork preserves the disks’ original labels while transforming e-waste into vibrant, sustainable art, giving discarded plastic and magnetic materials a second life and highlighting the environmental value of reusing obsolete technology.
#BeOpenARCH
Spanish firm Impepinable Studio has completed the Agrosemillas Offices in El Peral, Cuenca, transforming repurposed shipping containers into a playful industrial workspace. Four containers form a sawtooth roof with north-facing skylights that flood the 280 m² building with daylight, while circular façade openings with sliding yellow shutters regulate light and privacy. Inside, green steel beams, polycarbonate panels and a clear three-band layout create bright, flexible workspaces designed to support both focused office tasks and the rhythms of the surrounding agro-industrial landscape.
Spanish firm Impepinable Studio has completed the Agrosemillas Offices in El Peral, Cuenca, transforming repurposed shipping containers into a playful industrial workspace. Four containers form a sawtooth roof with north-facing skylights that flood the 280 m² building with daylight, while circular façade openings with sliding yellow shutters regulate light and privacy. Inside, green steel beams, polycarbonate panels and a clear three-band layout create bright, flexible workspaces designed to support both focused office tasks and the rhythms of the surrounding agro-industrial landscape.
#BeOpenARCH
The River Forest Lookout in Whitfield County, USA, is an off-grid cabin built from two repurposed shipping containers elevated 18 meters above the forest on a slender steel frame. Designed as a secluded retreat for nature immersion, the solar-powered structure features an open living space, bedroom and separate bathroom, along with a balcony and rooftop terrace with a fire pit for panoramic views and stargazing above the surrounding woodland.
The River Forest Lookout in Whitfield County, USA, is an off-grid cabin built from two repurposed shipping containers elevated 18 meters above the forest on a slender steel frame. Designed as a secluded retreat for nature immersion, the solar-powered structure features an open living space, bedroom and separate bathroom, along with a balcony and rooftop terrace with a fire pit for panoramic views and stargazing above the surrounding woodland.
#BeOpenARCH
French company Calaak’Oncept transforms repurposed shipping containers into customizable swimming pools that combine industrial durability with contemporary design. Manufactured in Geispolsheim in the Bas-Rhin region, the pools can be installed above ground, semi-buried, or fully integrated into the landscape, offering flexible solutions for gardens of different sizes. Clients can choose from compact six-meter models to larger twelve-meter pools designed for swimming or relaxation, with optional wellness features such as hydromassage, chromotherapy lighting, and waterfall elements. With customizable cladding, lighting, and access options, the container pools aim to provide an eco-responsible and low-maintenance alternative to traditional installations, while their prefabricated structure allows installation in as little as a day.
More cargotecture on our blog.
French company Calaak’Oncept transforms repurposed shipping containers into customizable swimming pools that combine industrial durability with contemporary design. Manufactured in Geispolsheim in the Bas-Rhin region, the pools can be installed above ground, semi-buried, or fully integrated into the landscape, offering flexible solutions for gardens of different sizes. Clients can choose from compact six-meter models to larger twelve-meter pools designed for swimming or relaxation, with optional wellness features such as hydromassage, chromotherapy lighting, and waterfall elements. With customizable cladding, lighting, and access options, the container pools aim to provide an eco-responsible and low-maintenance alternative to traditional installations, while their prefabricated structure allows installation in as little as a day.
More cargotecture on our blog.
#BeOpenDESIGN
The Accordion Modular Sofa by Yuqi Wang is a brilliantly adaptable piece of furniture that transforms the way we think about sofas. Using a single compressible module, it can expand, shrink, or curve to fit any space, from a compact loveseat to a sprawling sectional. Its flat-pack design simplifies transport, reduces packaging waste, and lowers the carbon footprint, while adjustable knobs and clever internal mechanisms make reconfiguring effortless. Inspired by the fluid motion of an accordion, the sofa combines practical innovation, sustainable design, and playful versatility, making it both a functional solution and a visually captivating centerpiece for modern living spaces.
More extraordinary sofas on our blog.
The Accordion Modular Sofa by Yuqi Wang is a brilliantly adaptable piece of furniture that transforms the way we think about sofas. Using a single compressible module, it can expand, shrink, or curve to fit any space, from a compact loveseat to a sprawling sectional. Its flat-pack design simplifies transport, reduces packaging waste, and lowers the carbon footprint, while adjustable knobs and clever internal mechanisms make reconfiguring effortless. Inspired by the fluid motion of an accordion, the sofa combines practical innovation, sustainable design, and playful versatility, making it both a functional solution and a visually captivating centerpiece for modern living spaces.
More extraordinary sofas on our blog.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Designer Sree Krishna Pillarisetti created the Soft Drive, a portable USB storage device with a casing made from mycelium, hemp fibers, and bioplastic derived from waste materials. The translucent shell reveals the organic fungal structure that cushions the electronics inside, offering natural shock absorption while highlighting a biodegradable alternative to plastic. Developed as an MFA thesis at Parsons School of Design, the 8GB concept challenges cloud dependence and e-waste by reimagining data storage as a tangible, regenerative object that can eventually return to the earth.
Designer Sree Krishna Pillarisetti created the Soft Drive, a portable USB storage device with a casing made from mycelium, hemp fibers, and bioplastic derived from waste materials. The translucent shell reveals the organic fungal structure that cushions the electronics inside, offering natural shock absorption while highlighting a biodegradable alternative to plastic. Developed as an MFA thesis at Parsons School of Design, the 8GB concept challenges cloud dependence and e-waste by reimagining data storage as a tangible, regenerative object that can eventually return to the earth.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) research studio Matter Design have developed Heirloom House, a system of nine massive modular concrete components designed to last up to 1,000 years. Engineered with pivoting bases that allow the heavy elements to be manually rearranged, the project proposes adaptable architecture that can evolve with changing needs reducing demolition, waste, and energy use while turning buildings into long-lasting, reconfigurable structures.
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) research studio Matter Design have developed Heirloom House, a system of nine massive modular concrete components designed to last up to 1,000 years. Engineered with pivoting bases that allow the heavy elements to be manually rearranged, the project proposes adaptable architecture that can evolve with changing needs reducing demolition, waste, and energy use while turning buildings into long-lasting, reconfigurable structures.
#BeOpenART
Designer Michael Jantzen has proposed Solar Wind Gazebos, public pavilions for university campuses that combine gathering spaces with renewable energy generation. The stainless steel structures feature a circular solar panel at the center of the roof and four vertical-axis wind turbines at the corners, producing electricity that feeds into the campus grid. With built-in seating, device charging points, and lighting powered by the system itself, the gazebos transform renewable infrastructure into an interactive space where students can sit, work, and directly experience clean energy in everyday campus life.
Designer Michael Jantzen has proposed Solar Wind Gazebos, public pavilions for university campuses that combine gathering spaces with renewable energy generation. The stainless steel structures feature a circular solar panel at the center of the roof and four vertical-axis wind turbines at the corners, producing electricity that feeds into the campus grid. With built-in seating, device charging points, and lighting powered by the system itself, the gazebos transform renewable infrastructure into an interactive space where students can sit, work, and directly experience clean energy in everyday campus life.
#BeOpenARCH
Designed by Brazilian architect Nathalia Cristina de Souza Vilela Telis, the Amazon Immersion Pavilion is a conceptual project for Iquitos that invites visitors to experience the rainforest through sound, light, and texture. Built primarily from bamboo and shaped by biomimicry, the two-level pavilion creates a sensory journey from a calm, enclosed space with water and filtered light to an open viewing platform overlooking the Amazon River. Through passive ventilation, natural materials, and low-impact construction ideas, the design aims to deepen visitors’ connection with the forest while respecting the surrounding ecosystem.
Designed by Brazilian architect Nathalia Cristina de Souza Vilela Telis, the Amazon Immersion Pavilion is a conceptual project for Iquitos that invites visitors to experience the rainforest through sound, light, and texture. Built primarily from bamboo and shaped by biomimicry, the two-level pavilion creates a sensory journey from a calm, enclosed space with water and filtered light to an open viewing platform overlooking the Amazon River. Through passive ventilation, natural materials, and low-impact construction ideas, the design aims to deepen visitors’ connection with the forest while respecting the surrounding ecosystem.
#BeOpenARCH
Developed by Athens-based 314 Architecture Studio, Metamorphosis is a conceptual winery nestled in the vineyards of Nemea, envisioned as a circular structure partially embedded in the terrain with a planted roof that seamlessly extends into the surrounding landscape. From afar, it reads as a geological formation, while its smooth, UFO-like geometry evokes futuristic machinery gradually absorbed by nature. Accessed through a subtle cut in the the vineyard fields that descends beneath the planted roof, the design draws on ancient Mycenaean tholos tombs while symbolizing the transformation of grapes into wine.
Developed by Athens-based 314 Architecture Studio, Metamorphosis is a conceptual winery nestled in the vineyards of Nemea, envisioned as a circular structure partially embedded in the terrain with a planted roof that seamlessly extends into the surrounding landscape. From afar, it reads as a geological formation, while its smooth, UFO-like geometry evokes futuristic machinery gradually absorbed by nature. Accessed through a subtle cut in the the vineyard fields that descends beneath the planted roof, the design draws on ancient Mycenaean tholos tombs while symbolizing the transformation of grapes into wine.
#BeOpenARCH
The Kulhad Pavilion by the architecture studio Wallmakers transforms thousands of discarded terracotta tea cups into a temporary public structure on Miramar Beach for the Serendipity Arts Festival 2025. Built using more than 18,000 reused kulhads collected from communities in Dharavi, the pavilion reinterprets a familiar object from India’s railway tea culture as a building material. The structure is formed through three compressive catenary vaults that rely on geometry and gravity rather than reinforcement, creating a porous masonry surface that filters light and air. As the vaults curve along the edge of the beach, they provide shaded seating, informal gathering space, and shelter for both people and animals, demonstrating how everyday waste can be reimagined as a civic architectural element.
More designs transforming discarded materials on our blog.
The Kulhad Pavilion by the architecture studio Wallmakers transforms thousands of discarded terracotta tea cups into a temporary public structure on Miramar Beach for the Serendipity Arts Festival 2025. Built using more than 18,000 reused kulhads collected from communities in Dharavi, the pavilion reinterprets a familiar object from India’s railway tea culture as a building material. The structure is formed through three compressive catenary vaults that rely on geometry and gravity rather than reinforcement, creating a porous masonry surface that filters light and air. As the vaults curve along the edge of the beach, they provide shaded seating, informal gathering space, and shelter for both people and animals, demonstrating how everyday waste can be reimagined as a civic architectural element.
More designs transforming discarded materials on our blog.
#BeOpenART
In Hanoi, ODDO architects have turned over 40,000 recycled plastic bags and traditional handmade paper into a glowing public pavilion that merges sustainability, craft, and community engagement. The wing-like structure filters daylight to create shifting patterns inside, while at night it transforms into a luminous urban landmark. Local volunteers helped collect the plastic, and kindergarten children contributed drawings that decorate the interior domes, adding a playful, personal layer to the space. Designed as a temporary exhibition venue, the pavilion not only showcases Vietnamese architecture but also reimagines plastic waste as a valuable, reusable material, proving that environmental responsibility and striking design can coexist beautifully.
More art objects made of repurposed materials on our blog.
In Hanoi, ODDO architects have turned over 40,000 recycled plastic bags and traditional handmade paper into a glowing public pavilion that merges sustainability, craft, and community engagement. The wing-like structure filters daylight to create shifting patterns inside, while at night it transforms into a luminous urban landmark. Local volunteers helped collect the plastic, and kindergarten children contributed drawings that decorate the interior domes, adding a playful, personal layer to the space. Designed as a temporary exhibition venue, the pavilion not only showcases Vietnamese architecture but also reimagines plastic waste as a valuable, reusable material, proving that environmental responsibility and striking design can coexist beautifully.
More art objects made of repurposed materials on our blog.
#BeOpenART #BeOpenNEWS
BE OPEN Art is pleased to announce Sayda Shukri as the March Regional Artist of the Month in the Northeastern Africa stage of its 2026 global art competition. Sayda Shukri is a young self-taught artist from Sudan whose work celebrates the richness of Sudanese cultural heritage.
As the third monthly winner in this regional stage, Sayda Shukri now joins January winner Reem Aljeally and February winner Aissa Joud in the run for the title of Regional Artist of Northeastern Africa, to be announced at the end of April. Running from January through April, this stage recognizes outstanding emerging artists from across the region, including Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Libya, Egypt, and Madagascar. The selected Regional Winner will receive a €500 cash prize and increased international visibility through the BE OPEN Art platform.
BE OPEN Art is pleased to announce Sayda Shukri as the March Regional Artist of the Month in the Northeastern Africa stage of its 2026 global art competition. Sayda Shukri is a young self-taught artist from Sudan whose work celebrates the richness of Sudanese cultural heritage.
As the third monthly winner in this regional stage, Sayda Shukri now joins January winner Reem Aljeally and February winner Aissa Joud in the run for the title of Regional Artist of Northeastern Africa, to be announced at the end of April. Running from January through April, this stage recognizes outstanding emerging artists from across the region, including Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Libya, Egypt, and Madagascar. The selected Regional Winner will receive a €500 cash prize and increased international visibility through the BE OPEN Art platform.
#BeOpenARCH
The Underground House of the Future in Zhangbian Township reimagines the traditional dikengyuan courtyard dwelling for a changing climate. Led by John Lin, Olivier Ottevaere, and Lidia Ratoi from University of Hong Kong, the project adapts the centuries-old underground housing typology using community collaboration, brick vaults, and large-scale 3D-printed earth. Its central courtyard becomes a stepped amphitheater with improved drainage and a tensile canopy, preserving the thermal comfort and agricultural land use of loess homes while making the space resilient to extreme rainfall and suitable for village gatherings.
The Underground House of the Future in Zhangbian Township reimagines the traditional dikengyuan courtyard dwelling for a changing climate. Led by John Lin, Olivier Ottevaere, and Lidia Ratoi from University of Hong Kong, the project adapts the centuries-old underground housing typology using community collaboration, brick vaults, and large-scale 3D-printed earth. Its central courtyard becomes a stepped amphitheater with improved drainage and a tensile canopy, preserving the thermal comfort and agricultural land use of loess homes while making the space resilient to extreme rainfall and suitable for village gatherings.