#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)
#BeOpenDESIGN
Birdhouse by Kids is a workshop-based project by Taekhan Yun that transforms children’s drawings and clay models into sculptural birdhouses for local bird species in Cambodia. Expanding on the earlier Chair for Kids initiative, the project shifts design away from a human-centered approach by using children’s intuitive imagination to rethink habitats for non-human users. Through drawing, modeling, and hands-on construction with wood, cardboard, and paper, the workshop produces playful yet functional birdhouses that preserve the spontaneity of the original sketches while exploring new relationships between participation, architecture, and nature.
Birdhouse by Kids is a workshop-based project by Taekhan Yun that transforms children’s drawings and clay models into sculptural birdhouses for local bird species in Cambodia. Expanding on the earlier Chair for Kids initiative, the project shifts design away from a human-centered approach by using children’s intuitive imagination to rethink habitats for non-human users. Through drawing, modeling, and hands-on construction with wood, cardboard, and paper, the workshop produces playful yet functional birdhouses that preserve the spontaneity of the original sketches while exploring new relationships between participation, architecture, and nature.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Industrial designer Matan Rechter presents Shelly, a personal outdoor workstation designed for focused work in natural environments. Shaped as a lounge chair with a foldable protective hood, the structure creates a semi-private space for reading, relaxing, or remote work while maintaining a connection to the outdoors. Built from aluminum profiles and UV-resistant Cordura fabric, Shelly balances airflow, shade, and comfort, reflecting the growing shift toward flexible work-from-anywhere lifestyles.
Industrial designer Matan Rechter presents Shelly, a personal outdoor workstation designed for focused work in natural environments. Shaped as a lounge chair with a foldable protective hood, the structure creates a semi-private space for reading, relaxing, or remote work while maintaining a connection to the outdoors. Built from aluminum profiles and UV-resistant Cordura fabric, Shelly balances airflow, shade, and comfort, reflecting the growing shift toward flexible work-from-anywhere lifestyles.
#BeOpenNEWS
We thank everyone who submitted initiatives and everyone who cast their votes.
We are pleased to announce the winners of the First, Second and Third Prizes, as well as the Public Vote Prize.
The €5,000 First Prize goes to Norah Kimathi (Kenya) for Zerobionic, an AI-powered robotic exoskeleton improving access to STEM education for deaf and hard-of-hearing girls.
The €3,000 Second Prize goes to Victress Igboanusim (Nigeria) for Calyx-Probe, a handheld AI-powered device improving access to non-invasive reproductive healthcare.
The €2,000 Third Prize goes to Lennox Omondi, Dullah Shiltone, Keylie Muthoni and Brian Ndung'u (Kenya) for Ecobana transforming banana waste into biodegradable sanitary pads for underserved communities.
The €2,000 Public Vote Prize goes to Akshat Shah, Harshavi Patel and Aryaa Bhagwat (India) for Samvaad Saathi, supporting financial inclusion for women daily-wage construction workers.
Founder’s Choice Winner will be announced shortly.
We thank everyone who submitted initiatives and everyone who cast their votes.
We are pleased to announce the winners of the First, Second and Third Prizes, as well as the Public Vote Prize.
The €5,000 First Prize goes to Norah Kimathi (Kenya) for Zerobionic, an AI-powered robotic exoskeleton improving access to STEM education for deaf and hard-of-hearing girls.
The €3,000 Second Prize goes to Victress Igboanusim (Nigeria) for Calyx-Probe, a handheld AI-powered device improving access to non-invasive reproductive healthcare.
The €2,000 Third Prize goes to Lennox Omondi, Dullah Shiltone, Keylie Muthoni and Brian Ndung'u (Kenya) for Ecobana transforming banana waste into biodegradable sanitary pads for underserved communities.
The €2,000 Public Vote Prize goes to Akshat Shah, Harshavi Patel and Aryaa Bhagwat (India) for Samvaad Saathi, supporting financial inclusion for women daily-wage construction workers.
Founder’s Choice Winner will be announced shortly.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Daniel Idle’s Terrarium Phone Case rethinks smartphone accessories through the lens of sustainability, transforming the iPhone 16 Pro Max into a self-contained living ecosystem. By embedding moss, soil, and small plants inside a transparent resin shell, the concept introduces biophilic design directly into consumer tech. Its closed-loop system sustains plant life through natural cycles of light, moisture, and condensation, encouraging a more thoughtful relationship between technology and the environment.
More unusual phone cases on our blog.
Daniel Idle’s Terrarium Phone Case rethinks smartphone accessories through the lens of sustainability, transforming the iPhone 16 Pro Max into a self-contained living ecosystem. By embedding moss, soil, and small plants inside a transparent resin shell, the concept introduces biophilic design directly into consumer tech. Its closed-loop system sustains plant life through natural cycles of light, moisture, and condensation, encouraging a more thoughtful relationship between technology and the environment.
More unusual phone cases on our blog.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Omnibite by Milan-based designers Eugenio Costa and Nicolò Tallone turns the furniture joint into the visual centerpiece. Bright mechanical connectors clamp onto raw branches in a striking contrast of industrial geometry and organic texture, creating structures that feel both improvised and engineered. The result is a system where construction itself becomes the design language.
More unconventional furniture joints on our blog.
Omnibite by Milan-based designers Eugenio Costa and Nicolò Tallone turns the furniture joint into the visual centerpiece. Bright mechanical connectors clamp onto raw branches in a striking contrast of industrial geometry and organic texture, creating structures that feel both improvised and engineered. The result is a system where construction itself becomes the design language.
More unconventional furniture joints on our blog.
#BeOpenNEWS #BeOpenART
BE OPEN Art has announced Helena Mirich as the first Regional Artist of the Month for the Central Europe stage of its 2026 BE OPEN Regional Art programme, which highlights emerging talent from the Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
A Croatian-born, Berlin-based self-taught painter, Mirich is known for her intuitive practice rooted in nature, dreams, mysticism, occult knowledge, and symbolism, often exploring symmetrical composition through a process she describes as self-surrender and ceremonial ritual.
The one Regional Winner chosen at the end of the stage will receive a €500 cash prize and increased international visibility through the BE OPEN Art platform.
BE OPEN Art has announced Helena Mirich as the first Regional Artist of the Month for the Central Europe stage of its 2026 BE OPEN Regional Art programme, which highlights emerging talent from the Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
A Croatian-born, Berlin-based self-taught painter, Mirich is known for her intuitive practice rooted in nature, dreams, mysticism, occult knowledge, and symbolism, often exploring symmetrical composition through a process she describes as self-surrender and ceremonial ritual.
The one Regional Winner chosen at the end of the stage will receive a €500 cash prize and increased international visibility through the BE OPEN Art platform.
#BeOpenDESIGN
STEA by French designer Eliot Andrault reimagines personal heating by shifting focus from whole-room systems to body-centered warmth. Developed at La Cambre in Belgium, the device uses refractory bricks to store and slowly release heat, creating a localized microclimate with minimal energy use. Operating on a short heating cycle followed by extended heat diffusion, STEA reduces continuous power consumption while delivering a steady, enveloping warmth. Its monolithic form, inspired by cast-iron radiators and softened by a portable steel handle, reflects a balance between industrial presence and human use. Designed for disassembly, repair, and recyclability, the project proposes a more sustainable and intentional relationship to heat.
STEA by French designer Eliot Andrault reimagines personal heating by shifting focus from whole-room systems to body-centered warmth. Developed at La Cambre in Belgium, the device uses refractory bricks to store and slowly release heat, creating a localized microclimate with minimal energy use. Operating on a short heating cycle followed by extended heat diffusion, STEA reduces continuous power consumption while delivering a steady, enveloping warmth. Its monolithic form, inspired by cast-iron radiators and softened by a portable steel handle, reflects a balance between industrial presence and human use. Designed for disassembly, repair, and recyclability, the project proposes a more sustainable and intentional relationship to heat.
#BeOpenDESIGN
On the Calculation of Volume reimagines a Greenpoint apartment as a reflection on repetition, storage, and urban survival in New York City. Designed by architect Massimiliano Malagò with client Kathleen Pongrace, the project draws on literary references from Solvej Balle and Simone de Beauvoir to shape sculptural furniture pieces that balance permanence and decay through ceramic tile, foam, and integrated storage. Responding to the pressures of limited space and a growing personal library, the renovation transforms domestic objects into studies of time, accumulation, and everyday city life.
On the Calculation of Volume reimagines a Greenpoint apartment as a reflection on repetition, storage, and urban survival in New York City. Designed by architect Massimiliano Malagò with client Kathleen Pongrace, the project draws on literary references from Solvej Balle and Simone de Beauvoir to shape sculptural furniture pieces that balance permanence and decay through ceramic tile, foam, and integrated storage. Responding to the pressures of limited space and a growing personal library, the renovation transforms domestic objects into studies of time, accumulation, and everyday city life.
#BeOpenDESIGN
In an era dominated by flawless renders and polished product shots, Timothée Mion’s chair buck is a refreshing reminder that great furniture design still begins with the body. Used to physically test seat heights, angles, and posture before committing to a final form, the adjustable rig highlights something digital tools can’t fully replicate: the feeling of actually sitting in a chair. Rather than treating prototyping as a rough preliminary step, Mion’s process embraces it as part of the design itself.
In an era dominated by flawless renders and polished product shots, Timothée Mion’s chair buck is a refreshing reminder that great furniture design still begins with the body. Used to physically test seat heights, angles, and posture before committing to a final form, the adjustable rig highlights something digital tools can’t fully replicate: the feeling of actually sitting in a chair. Rather than treating prototyping as a rough preliminary step, Mion’s process embraces it as part of the design itself.
#BeOpenNEWS #BeOpenART
BE OPEN Art is pleased to announce Paloma Bautista as the Artist of the Month for May 2026. Originally from the Canary Islands and now based in Finland, Bautista is an architect, designer, and visual artist whose multidisciplinary practice explores the creation of atmospheres through color, form, and spatial sensitivity. Holding a Master of Architecture degree, Bautista brings a deep understanding of structure, balance, and environment to her artistic work.
Each month, BE OPEN Art presents 20 artists for public voting, with monthly winners advancing to compete for the Artist of the Year 2026 title. The overall winner will receive a €1,000 prize and promotional support from BE OPEN Art.
We warmly congratulate Paloma on this well-deserved recognition and thank her for her inspiring contribution to the BE OPEN Art community.
BE OPEN Art is pleased to announce Paloma Bautista as the Artist of the Month for May 2026. Originally from the Canary Islands and now based in Finland, Bautista is an architect, designer, and visual artist whose multidisciplinary practice explores the creation of atmospheres through color, form, and spatial sensitivity. Holding a Master of Architecture degree, Bautista brings a deep understanding of structure, balance, and environment to her artistic work.
Each month, BE OPEN Art presents 20 artists for public voting, with monthly winners advancing to compete for the Artist of the Year 2026 title. The overall winner will receive a €1,000 prize and promotional support from BE OPEN Art.
We warmly congratulate Paloma on this well-deserved recognition and thank her for her inspiring contribution to the BE OPEN Art community.
#BeOpenARCH
Set into the steep terrain of southern Poland’s Beskid Mountains, KWK Promes’s Yaw House transforms the hillside into an active architectural element rather than a backdrop. Defined by a subtle rotational move inspired by the aviation term “yaw,” the residence begins with a conventional gabled form aligned to its neighbors before pivoting toward sunlight and panoramic valley views. This shift reorganizes the interior into naturally distinct public and private zones while allowing the grass-covered roof and sloped terrain to visually merge, making the house appear embedded within the landscape itself. Midway through construction, the project evolved to include a rehabilitation swimming pool, which the architects integrated as a circular, subterranean centerpiece that softens the home’s otherwise angular geometry and anchors the spatial experience of the residence.
Set into the steep terrain of southern Poland’s Beskid Mountains, KWK Promes’s Yaw House transforms the hillside into an active architectural element rather than a backdrop. Defined by a subtle rotational move inspired by the aviation term “yaw,” the residence begins with a conventional gabled form aligned to its neighbors before pivoting toward sunlight and panoramic valley views. This shift reorganizes the interior into naturally distinct public and private zones while allowing the grass-covered roof and sloped terrain to visually merge, making the house appear embedded within the landscape itself. Midway through construction, the project evolved to include a rehabilitation swimming pool, which the architects integrated as a circular, subterranean centerpiece that softens the home’s otherwise angular geometry and anchors the spatial experience of the residence.