#BeOpenDESIGN
Aureole by Rollo Bryant reinterprets the spiral geometry of sunflower disk florets through advanced 3D printing and quartz sand construction. The sculptural wall lamp features densely layered organic textures that diffuse hidden backlighting into dramatic eclipse-like shadows, transforming a natural growth pattern into a futuristic lighting experience.
More nature-inspired lighting on our blog.
Aureole by Rollo Bryant reinterprets the spiral geometry of sunflower disk florets through advanced 3D printing and quartz sand construction. The sculptural wall lamp features densely layered organic textures that diffuse hidden backlighting into dramatic eclipse-like shadows, transforming a natural growth pattern into a futuristic lighting experience.
More nature-inspired lighting on our blog.
#BeOpenARCH
New York–based Studio Bucky’s Cucu is a compact off-grid cabin nestled within the rural landscape of Westmeath, Ireland. Clad in red-stained shingles that reference local agricultural structures, the cabin combines a striking exterior with a vertically organized interior inspired by traditional Irish tower houses. Its tapered form, plywood-lined spaces, and elevated sleeping loft create an intimate spatial experience that emphasizes height, light, and connection to nature.
New York–based Studio Bucky’s Cucu is a compact off-grid cabin nestled within the rural landscape of Westmeath, Ireland. Clad in red-stained shingles that reference local agricultural structures, the cabin combines a striking exterior with a vertically organized interior inspired by traditional Irish tower houses. Its tapered form, plywood-lined spaces, and elevated sleeping loft create an intimate spatial experience that emphasizes height, light, and connection to nature.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Designer Matthew Whatley’s Novum Chair investigates the structural and aesthetic potential of bio-based composites in furniture design. Constructed from woven natural fibers bonded with plant-based resin, the chair develops a rigid monocoque shell where material texture remains visibly embedded within the surface. The continuous curved geometry distributes load through the composite skin while emphasizing the tactile qualities of the woven substrate. Rather than concealing its fabrication, the design foregrounds the interaction between fiber, resin, and form, proposing a material-led approach to furniture that moves beyond petrochemical plastics.
Designer Matthew Whatley’s Novum Chair investigates the structural and aesthetic potential of bio-based composites in furniture design. Constructed from woven natural fibers bonded with plant-based resin, the chair develops a rigid monocoque shell where material texture remains visibly embedded within the surface. The continuous curved geometry distributes load through the composite skin while emphasizing the tactile qualities of the woven substrate. Rather than concealing its fabrication, the design foregrounds the interaction between fiber, resin, and form, proposing a material-led approach to furniture that moves beyond petrochemical plastics.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Japanese designer Shigeya Miyata’s pause series recontextualizes discontinued Honda motorcycle components by embedding them within cast concrete forms to create functional domestic objects. By fixing precision-engineered mechanical parts into static material compositions, the project contrasts motion with stillness while exposing the formal and material qualities of components typically concealed within machines. Mirrors, vases, pen holders, and photo frames emerge as hybrid objects positioned between industrial artifact and sculptural furniture, where concrete acts both as structural mass and conceptual counterpoint to the engineered precision of the original parts.
Japanese designer Shigeya Miyata’s pause series recontextualizes discontinued Honda motorcycle components by embedding them within cast concrete forms to create functional domestic objects. By fixing precision-engineered mechanical parts into static material compositions, the project contrasts motion with stillness while exposing the formal and material qualities of components typically concealed within machines. Mirrors, vases, pen holders, and photo frames emerge as hybrid objects positioned between industrial artifact and sculptural furniture, where concrete acts both as structural mass and conceptual counterpoint to the engineered precision of the original parts.
#BeOpenART
Vitamins, a collaboration between designer Eleonore Buschinger (Vitamin Color) and photographer Tabea Mathern, repositions vegetables as a construction material for contemporary still-life and image-making. Developed in New York, the series replaces conventional industrial objects with assemblages of produce, where fruits, roots, and leaves are cut, layered, and structured into forms that mimic fashion accessories and household items. Each composition is physically prototyped and photographed in a narrow temporal window due to the perishability of the material, resulting in images that emphasize ephemerality, texture, and form.
Vitamins, a collaboration between designer Eleonore Buschinger (Vitamin Color) and photographer Tabea Mathern, repositions vegetables as a construction material for contemporary still-life and image-making. Developed in New York, the series replaces conventional industrial objects with assemblages of produce, where fruits, roots, and leaves are cut, layered, and structured into forms that mimic fashion accessories and household items. Each composition is physically prototyped and photographed in a narrow temporal window due to the perishability of the material, resulting in images that emphasize ephemerality, texture, and form.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Shanghai-based designer Mario Tsai’s Chopsticks Maker reinterprets the mechanics of a pencil sharpener as a portable tool for carving disposable chopsticks from found twigs. Compact and materially minimal, the device transforms raw branches into functional utensils through a simple rotational cutting process, emphasizing resourcefulness over manufactured convenience. By reducing cutlery to an on-site, biodegradable system, the project explores how familiar mechanical principles can be repurposed to create lightweight, low-impact tools rooted in improvisation and direct engagement with natural materials.
Shanghai-based designer Mario Tsai’s Chopsticks Maker reinterprets the mechanics of a pencil sharpener as a portable tool for carving disposable chopsticks from found twigs. Compact and materially minimal, the device transforms raw branches into functional utensils through a simple rotational cutting process, emphasizing resourcefulness over manufactured convenience. By reducing cutlery to an on-site, biodegradable system, the project explores how familiar mechanical principles can be repurposed to create lightweight, low-impact tools rooted in improvisation and direct engagement with natural materials.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Theo by PLANK transforms the folding chair from a temporary utility object into a refined architectural presence. Designed by Matteo Thun and Benedetto Fasciana, it pairs solid oak, molded plywood, and an elegantly integrated folding mechanism to create a chair that feels permanent even when it is portable. What sets Theo apart is its ability to blend contract-grade functionality with the warmth and sophistication of contemporary residential furniture.
More design-minded folding chairs on our blog.
Theo by PLANK transforms the folding chair from a temporary utility object into a refined architectural presence. Designed by Matteo Thun and Benedetto Fasciana, it pairs solid oak, molded plywood, and an elegantly integrated folding mechanism to create a chair that feels permanent even when it is portable. What sets Theo apart is its ability to blend contract-grade functionality with the warmth and sophistication of contemporary residential furniture.
More design-minded folding chairs on our blog.
#BeOpenDESIGN
British product designer Jabez Bartlett is rethinking inflatable furniture with Inflatable Table 001. Constructed from pillowy PVC and finished with an opalescent resin tabletop, the coffee table blurs the line between sculpture and functional design. The soft inflated base gives the piece a dreamlike quality, while the glossy resin surface introduces a sense of permanence and refinement rarely associated with inflatable objects. Drawing from materials commonly used in film set production, Bartlett transforms something traditionally temporary into a tactile statement piece that feels immersive, playful, and unexpectedly luxurious.
More inflatable furniture on our blog.
British product designer Jabez Bartlett is rethinking inflatable furniture with Inflatable Table 001. Constructed from pillowy PVC and finished with an opalescent resin tabletop, the coffee table blurs the line between sculpture and functional design. The soft inflated base gives the piece a dreamlike quality, while the glossy resin surface introduces a sense of permanence and refinement rarely associated with inflatable objects. Drawing from materials commonly used in film set production, Bartlett transforms something traditionally temporary into a tactile statement piece that feels immersive, playful, and unexpectedly luxurious.
More inflatable furniture on our blog.
#BeOpenNEWS
The Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) is launching a new online learning journey, “Nurturing Collective Transformations: Learning and Unlearning in Harmony with Nature” — a free four-session training series celebrating the International Day for Biodiversity 2026. Bringing together young people from around the world, the programme explores biodiversity, socio-ecological challenges, and pathways for collective action and transformative change.
Sessions begin on 30 May and continue through July, with participants receiving a certificate upon completion. The training is free, held online, and includes language support in Spanish and French. Registration is now open.
The Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) is launching a new online learning journey, “Nurturing Collective Transformations: Learning and Unlearning in Harmony with Nature” — a free four-session training series celebrating the International Day for Biodiversity 2026. Bringing together young people from around the world, the programme explores biodiversity, socio-ecological challenges, and pathways for collective action and transformative change.
Sessions begin on 30 May and continue through July, with participants receiving a certificate upon completion. The training is free, held online, and includes language support in Spanish and French. Registration is now open.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Developed by a Royal College of Art student, the PhytoSymbiosis Seat redefines public furniture as a living, evolving system integrated with its environment. Combining porous bio-concrete, Voronoi geometry, and climbing ivy, the structure strengthens over time as plant growth becomes part of its stability. Grounded in urban research and supported by computational analysis, the design shifts the role of seating from passive use to active care, inviting users to participate in maintenance through watering and interaction.
(via archup.net)
Developed by a Royal College of Art student, the PhytoSymbiosis Seat redefines public furniture as a living, evolving system integrated with its environment. Combining porous bio-concrete, Voronoi geometry, and climbing ivy, the structure strengthens over time as plant growth becomes part of its stability. Grounded in urban research and supported by computational analysis, the design shifts the role of seating from passive use to active care, inviting users to participate in maintenance through watering and interaction.
(via archup.net)