#BeOpenDESIGN
co:Creation Lab's Balloon Banjo is a 3D-printed DIY instrument that turns an ordinary party balloon into an adjustable sound box. Built from seven printed components and assembled without glue, metal hardware, or tools, the banjo invites users to experiment with acoustics by changing the balloon's inflation, string tension, and string thickness. Its fully disassemblable construction makes making, modifying, and rebuilding part of the musical experience.
co:Creation Lab's Balloon Banjo is a 3D-printed DIY instrument that turns an ordinary party balloon into an adjustable sound box. Built from seven printed components and assembled without glue, metal hardware, or tools, the banjo invites users to experiment with acoustics by changing the balloon's inflation, string tension, and string thickness. Its fully disassemblable construction makes making, modifying, and rebuilding part of the musical experience.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Berlin-based artist and designer Simon Weckert’s Digital Camouflage is a brightly patterned shirt designed to challenge AI-powered video surveillance systems. Developed in response to Berlin’s planned AI surveillance trial at Kottbusser Tor, the garment uses saturated colours and overlapping forms intended to disrupt the visual patterns that object-detection models associate with human figures. Weckert developed the pattern through an AI-driven adversarial testing process, repeatedly refining it against the detection system to reduce its confidence in recognising a person.
Berlin-based artist and designer Simon Weckert’s Digital Camouflage is a brightly patterned shirt designed to challenge AI-powered video surveillance systems. Developed in response to Berlin’s planned AI surveillance trial at Kottbusser Tor, the garment uses saturated colours and overlapping forms intended to disrupt the visual patterns that object-detection models associate with human figures. Weckert developed the pattern through an AI-driven adversarial testing process, repeatedly refining it against the detection system to reduce its confidence in recognising a person.
#BeOpenNEWS
VOTE FOR BE OPEN AT ANTHEM AWARDS!
We are pleased to share with you that BE OPEN Foundation has been selected a finalist in not one but two categories within Education, Art & Culture at the 6th Annual Anthem Awards:
1. Creative Economy & Artist Support
2. Arts & Cultural Programming
The finalist status also puts us in the running for the Anthem Community Voice Award which is determined by a public vote. We would be grateful for your support: please vote for BE OPEN and share the voting link with your friends and networks!
Here’s how to vote for us:
1. Open the voting page.
2. Find “BE OPEN Foundation” (Ctrl+F (Windows) or Cmd+F (Mac) to search for “BE OPEN”)
3. Click “Celebrate” beneath the BE OPEN Foundation card.
4. Sign up or sign in by clicking “Sign Up & Celebrate” - just enter an email address and make up a password.
5. Complete an email verification if requested.
Please check that your support has been registered.
VOTE FOR BE OPEN AT ANTHEM AWARDS!
We are pleased to share with you that BE OPEN Foundation has been selected a finalist in not one but two categories within Education, Art & Culture at the 6th Annual Anthem Awards:
1. Creative Economy & Artist Support
2. Arts & Cultural Programming
The finalist status also puts us in the running for the Anthem Community Voice Award which is determined by a public vote. We would be grateful for your support: please vote for BE OPEN and share the voting link with your friends and networks!
Here’s how to vote for us:
1. Open the voting page.
2. Find “BE OPEN Foundation” (Ctrl+F (Windows) or Cmd+F (Mac) to search for “BE OPEN”)
3. Click “Celebrate” beneath the BE OPEN Foundation card.
4. Sign up or sign in by clicking “Sign Up & Celebrate” - just enter an email address and make up a password.
5. Complete an email verification if requested.
Please check that your support has been registered.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Australian art and technology studio ENESS transforms a vintage ATM into HP*ATM – Human Psyche AI Teller Machine, an interactive installation that uses AI to generate personalized psychological readings. Created by ENESS founder Nimrod Weis, the work combines facial analysis, palm reading, and user-selected responses before presenting its assessment as a lyrical horoscope. Shown at FutureJuice during Illuminate Adelaide 2026, the retro-futurist installation uses playful design to question why people readily trust AI with increasingly intimate personal information.
Australian art and technology studio ENESS transforms a vintage ATM into HP*ATM – Human Psyche AI Teller Machine, an interactive installation that uses AI to generate personalized psychological readings. Created by ENESS founder Nimrod Weis, the work combines facial analysis, palm reading, and user-selected responses before presenting its assessment as a lyrical horoscope. Shown at FutureJuice during Illuminate Adelaide 2026, the retro-futurist installation uses playful design to question why people readily trust AI with increasingly intimate personal information.
#BeOpenDESIGN
A New York-based group of five artists has created Lifeline, a conceptual tote bag that transforms into a self-inflating life jacket in response to the growing threat of climate-related flooding. Made by deconstructing and heat-welding a standard nylon life vest, the bag retains the everyday appearance of a fashion accessory while concealing an emergency function that can be activated in around 15 seconds. Presented during New York Climate Week, the project uses this contradiction between ordinary consumer design and emergency equipment to provoke reflection on climate change and consumer culture.
A New York-based group of five artists has created Lifeline, a conceptual tote bag that transforms into a self-inflating life jacket in response to the growing threat of climate-related flooding. Made by deconstructing and heat-welding a standard nylon life vest, the bag retains the everyday appearance of a fashion accessory while concealing an emergency function that can be activated in around 15 seconds. Presented during New York Climate Week, the project uses this contradiction between ordinary consumer design and emergency equipment to provoke reflection on climate change and consumer culture.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Burger King has turned one of its chicken nuggets into a handbag, and the result is as absurd as it is clever. Le Nugguette mimics the nugget’s lumpy shape and golden-brown finish, complete with a tiny handle, zippered compartment, sauce-themed charm, and a $3.99 price tag that matches the meal that inspired it. More than a novelty accessory, it is a neat example of how a brand can turn its most recognizable product into the design itself.
More fast food handbags on our blog.
Burger King has turned one of its chicken nuggets into a handbag, and the result is as absurd as it is clever. Le Nugguette mimics the nugget’s lumpy shape and golden-brown finish, complete with a tiny handle, zippered compartment, sauce-themed charm, and a $3.99 price tag that matches the meal that inspired it. More than a novelty accessory, it is a neat example of how a brand can turn its most recognizable product into the design itself.
More fast food handbags on our blog.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Originally from Mexico, designer Rafael Prieto transforms salvaged architectural fragments from a Tribeca building into The Future of the Past, a furniture collection that examines the relationship between urban history and contemporary design. Sixteen ornamental elements, preserved during the building’s renovation, are incorporated into tables, chairs and stools alongside lacquered birch, burl veneer and bold contemporary colors. By combining historic stone and architectural details with refined modern materials and forms, Prieto gives discarded fragments a new function while reflecting on New York’s evolving architectural identity.
Originally from Mexico, designer Rafael Prieto transforms salvaged architectural fragments from a Tribeca building into The Future of the Past, a furniture collection that examines the relationship between urban history and contemporary design. Sixteen ornamental elements, preserved during the building’s renovation, are incorporated into tables, chairs and stools alongside lacquered birch, burl veneer and bold contemporary colors. By combining historic stone and architectural details with refined modern materials and forms, Prieto gives discarded fragments a new function while reflecting on New York’s evolving architectural identity.
#BeOpenARCH
Vancouver-based architect Luca Fontana’s Plank Factory reimagines the mass-timber factory as both a production facility and a public destination. Set within Stanley Park, the proposal organizes large-scale timber manufacturing beneath a series of intersecting pitched roofs, whose sloping surfaces collect and visibly channel Vancouver’s heavy rainfall. The roofscape also becomes accessible public terrain, allowing visitors to walk above the factory floor, observe robotic fabrication, and experience views toward the park and Pacific coast. Drawing on Pacific Northwest timber-building traditions, the project connects manufacturing, climate, and public space.
Vancouver-based architect Luca Fontana’s Plank Factory reimagines the mass-timber factory as both a production facility and a public destination. Set within Stanley Park, the proposal organizes large-scale timber manufacturing beneath a series of intersecting pitched roofs, whose sloping surfaces collect and visibly channel Vancouver’s heavy rainfall. The roofscape also becomes accessible public terrain, allowing visitors to walk above the factory floor, observe robotic fabrication, and experience views toward the park and Pacific coast. Drawing on Pacific Northwest timber-building traditions, the project connects manufacturing, climate, and public space.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Paris-based designer Youcef Abdaoui rethinks the conventional foam earplug with Ears 360 Silence, a soft silicone design that anchors through the ear’s outer helix rather than relying on pressure inside the canal. Its retractable spiral form sits nearly flush against the head, making it particularly suited to side sleeping, while interchangeable tips provide 24–29 dB of attenuation for sleep, commuting, concerts, swimming and work. Designed for long-term reuse, the product combines ergonomic geometry, replaceable components and compact packaging in a more durable alternative to disposable foam plugs.
Paris-based designer Youcef Abdaoui rethinks the conventional foam earplug with Ears 360 Silence, a soft silicone design that anchors through the ear’s outer helix rather than relying on pressure inside the canal. Its retractable spiral form sits nearly flush against the head, making it particularly suited to side sleeping, while interchangeable tips provide 24–29 dB of attenuation for sleep, commuting, concerts, swimming and work. Designed for long-term reuse, the product combines ergonomic geometry, replaceable components and compact packaging in a more durable alternative to disposable foam plugs.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Rugsoda’s Dumpster Bag turns one of the least glamorous objects in the city into an unexpectedly stylish accessory. Shaped like a miniature commercial dumpster, the canvas bag combines a boxy silhouette, embroidered graffiti, magnetic flip-up lids, and even a hidden raccoon detail. Beyond the humor, its compact form makes everyday essentials easier to organize, while its sculptural construction transforms a familiar piece of urban clutter into a wearable conversation piece. It is a playful example of how good design can take an ordinary, overlooked object and completely change the way we see it.
More extraordinary bags on our blog.
Rugsoda’s Dumpster Bag turns one of the least glamorous objects in the city into an unexpectedly stylish accessory. Shaped like a miniature commercial dumpster, the canvas bag combines a boxy silhouette, embroidered graffiti, magnetic flip-up lids, and even a hidden raccoon detail. Beyond the humor, its compact form makes everyday essentials easier to organize, while its sculptural construction transforms a familiar piece of urban clutter into a wearable conversation piece. It is a playful example of how good design can take an ordinary, overlooked object and completely change the way we see it.
More extraordinary bags on our blog.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Florida-based company Nothing has rethought the disposable paper cup by integrating the lid directly into the cup itself, eliminating separate plastic lids while reducing material, packaging and storage requirements. Developed in hot and cold versions, the cups use folding tabs to create spill-resistant closures, with a water-based, plastic-free coating designed for both recycling and home composting within 180 days. With ergonomic tapered forms and purpose-specific openings for drinking or straws, Nothing combines functional convenience with a more considered approach to single-use packaging.
Florida-based company Nothing has rethought the disposable paper cup by integrating the lid directly into the cup itself, eliminating separate plastic lids while reducing material, packaging and storage requirements. Developed in hot and cold versions, the cups use folding tabs to create spill-resistant closures, with a water-based, plastic-free coating designed for both recycling and home composting within 180 days. With ergonomic tapered forms and purpose-specific openings for drinking or straws, Nothing combines functional convenience with a more considered approach to single-use packaging.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Swiss-designed by UJUAL, U Space reimagines the laptop bag as a portable workstation, drawing on the folding logic of Japanese origami to transform from a carry bag into a stable work surface in a single motion. Designed for mobile workers, students and travelers, it can be carried as a briefcase, messenger bag or backpack while providing quick-access magnetic storage for everyday essentials. Available in multiple sizes and finishes, the durable bag can carry up to 20 kilograms and accommodates devices ranging from compact tablets to 16-inch laptops, turning almost any temporary location into a functional workspace.
Swiss-designed by UJUAL, U Space reimagines the laptop bag as a portable workstation, drawing on the folding logic of Japanese origami to transform from a carry bag into a stable work surface in a single motion. Designed for mobile workers, students and travelers, it can be carried as a briefcase, messenger bag or backpack while providing quick-access magnetic storage for everyday essentials. Available in multiple sizes and finishes, the durable bag can carry up to 20 kilograms and accommodates devices ranging from compact tablets to 16-inch laptops, turning almost any temporary location into a functional workspace.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Freckle, developed by startup Freckle with design studio Body Shop, reimagines the children’s mobile phone as a tool for exploration rather than constant entertainment or parental surveillance. Designed for ages seven to 13, its custom ClayOS replaces social media, browsers and app stores with features such as outdoor quests, an AI-powered discovery camera, storytelling tools, maps and walkie-talkie functions, encouraging children to explore independently. Its rugged, lanyard-worn form is inspired by binoculars, while privacy-conscious safety features aim to give parents reassurance without turning the phone into a tracking device.
Freckle, developed by startup Freckle with design studio Body Shop, reimagines the children’s mobile phone as a tool for exploration rather than constant entertainment or parental surveillance. Designed for ages seven to 13, its custom ClayOS replaces social media, browsers and app stores with features such as outdoor quests, an AI-powered discovery camera, storytelling tools, maps and walkie-talkie functions, encouraging children to explore independently. Its rugged, lanyard-worn form is inspired by binoculars, while privacy-conscious safety features aim to give parents reassurance without turning the phone into a tracking device.
#BeOpenDESIGN
Shanghai-based designer Tongqi Lu’s Call It a Day is a three-piece lighting collection designed around effortless interaction. Comprising a table lamp, floor lamp, and pendant, the collection uses soft translucent silicone shades that respond to taps, presses, and pulls instead of conventional switches. Developed through full-scale cardboard prototypes and hand-cast silicone molds, the lamps combine tactile controls, a woven-like surface texture, and a playful yellow cable to create lighting designed for moments when precision is the last thing you want.
Shanghai-based designer Tongqi Lu’s Call It a Day is a three-piece lighting collection designed around effortless interaction. Comprising a table lamp, floor lamp, and pendant, the collection uses soft translucent silicone shades that respond to taps, presses, and pulls instead of conventional switches. Developed through full-scale cardboard prototypes and hand-cast silicone molds, the lamps combine tactile controls, a woven-like surface texture, and a playful yellow cable to create lighting designed for moments when precision is the last thing you want.
#BeOpenARCH
What if shingles could dance with the wind? In What the Stones Whisper, Italian design practice Collectif MAGMA reimagines Lunano’s historic stone towers as a six-metre-tall timber installation wrapped in suspended wooden shingles. Hung from jute ropes, the layered elements sway with the breeze, creating shifting patterns of light and shadow while allowing air and sound to pass through. Built in just two weeks using lightweight timber frames and simple construction techniques, the installation transforms traditional cladding into a dynamic architectural skin, exploring the relationship between heritage, material innovation and the ever-changing landscape.
More shingle-clad structures on our blog.
What if shingles could dance with the wind? In What the Stones Whisper, Italian design practice Collectif MAGMA reimagines Lunano’s historic stone towers as a six-metre-tall timber installation wrapped in suspended wooden shingles. Hung from jute ropes, the layered elements sway with the breeze, creating shifting patterns of light and shadow while allowing air and sound to pass through. Built in just two weeks using lightweight timber frames and simple construction techniques, the installation transforms traditional cladding into a dynamic architectural skin, exploring the relationship between heritage, material innovation and the ever-changing landscape.
More shingle-clad structures on our blog.