Be Open think tank

Inspired by sexuality as a taboo in society, particularly in old age, Italian designer Elena Tamburini currently based in Australia has created Filotea, a four-piece collection that transforms everyday objects into tools that help elderly individuals and couples experience affection. Named after Greek goddess Philotes who was the personification of affection, passion and sex, the collection includes a mirror, a brush, a table and a walker, each of which was designed after a simple gesture such as a caring touch or looking at oneself or a partner. For example, the Filomena body brush provides a stimulating sensory massage, while the Alvise coffee table provides a place for couples to comfortably hold hands. Credits: instagram.com/elenatamburini/

Multidisciplinary design consultancy Matter based in Bath, UK, has conceptualized three cervical cancer examination tests that women could carry out themselves at home. The project, titled Sukha and developed with the help of medical professionals, comprises three different Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) home tests in the form of an applicator, a wand-like smart device and a silicone applicator that fits over the finger. Each of them aims to make cervical cancer screening experiences more positive for women and break the taboo of smear tests. After the Sukha tests are used to take a sample, each one can then be sent off to a lab for testing. More at-home testing kits in our blog.beopenfuture.com

Mexican architecture studio Weber Arquitectos has used grey volcanic stone to construct Rancho San Simon on a forested site in Valle de Bravo, Mexico. The project comprises five cabins scattered among the trees in an area of 5,000m2. Aiming to minimize the environmental impact, the architects have integrated the volumes into the existing opening between the trees instead of felling trees to accommodate a large building. Each cabin has its own terrace and boasts orientations that allow occupants to make the most of natural light and enjoy incredible views of the forest. Contrasting volcanic stone, the predominant material that covers the walls, are stave and beams of local pine. Credits: weberarquitectos.com

Snøhetta, renowned design practice with offices in Oslo and New York, has completed Powerhouse Telemark, a carbon-negative office building in Norway. The angular 11-storey office is designed to produce more energy than it will consume over a 60-year lifespan – including its construction, demolition and the embodied-carbon of building materials. This will be achieved mainly by the use of a large photovoltaic canopy covering its roof and south-facing façade. More carbon-neutral buildings in our blog.beopenfuture.com Carbon-neutral buildings could be a nice entry for our Design for Sustainable Cities global student competition. Do not miss your chance to win €5000, now that the deadline is extended till Jan 31st 2021. Visit citydesign2020.com for details.

Architecture school buildings serve as full-scale teaching tools for students to learn how to read and understand architecture. The building of the Abedian School of Architecture in Australia developed by London-based CRAB Studio is a long loft on two to three levels articulated by a series of the so-called ‘scoops’ lining the central street. As the architects placed an emphasis on the non-curricula events, these structure-defining openings are designed to be used for casual meetings and ‘crit’ sessions, encouraging students to interact, debate and socialize. The scheme is environmentally sustainable and is developed to protect against the region’s hot climate with the help of smart features that encourage natural lighting and ventilation and help avoid overheating. More outstanding architecture school buildings in our blog.beopenfuture.com

Stuttgart-based practice Behnisch Architekten has encased a new laboratory building at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany, in translucent polycarbonate panels. The plastic cladding allows the wooden construction on the interior to shimmer through and accommodates a column-free double-height test hall as well as a two-storey office wing. The polycarbonate plates allow a consistent amount of daylight to enter the test area, while in the offices an opaque, silvery exterior is marked by small windows enabling a selective illumination of the interior spaces with their unobtrusive design. At night, the cladding creates a lantern-like glow from the test hall. More polycarbonate-clad buildings in our blog.beopenfuture.com

Season’s Greetings to all creatives around the globe from BE OPEN team! We wish you a joyful holiday season and a new year filled with happiness, positivity, prosperity, professional and personal accomplishments!

The Melt Collection by New York City based firm Bower Studio is a continued exploration of reality vs perception through material and form. It comprises a series of mirrors, furniture pieces and decorative objects that have undergone a transformation. Although all items are made from different materials, they seem to share the same melting point. Glass mirrors dangle from wall mounted dowels, with one end draped on the floor; thick upholstered cushions of the chairs and daybeds droop over a rigid frame; while travertine stone slabs and solid wood pieces stretch and slump over the console bases of the tables. The Melt accessories include a range of functional and decorative objects made from a range of materials from Nero Marquina marble and polished brass to solid wood. More melting furniture in our blog.beopenfuture.com

Dear Friends, we decided that we all need to chill more closer to the New Year, so we've extended the deadline for Design For Sustainable Cities competition till January 31, 2021. Have lovely seasonal holidays, cherish yourself and your creative talents, submit your entry in January and win €5,000! Visit citydesign2020.com for details

Koichi Takada Architects, architecture practice with offices in Sydney and Doha, has designed the Sunflower House in Le Marche, Italy, inspired by the sunflower fields the region is known for. Its roof and each floor rotate on sensors for maximum sun exposure during the day, which results in gaining the highest possible solar power generation yielding an estimate 40% increase in energy production. The house is naturally air-conditioned by use of earth tubes, a technique invented by the Romans, which involves using a pipe that cools the air drawn from the outside to the temperature of the earth at the depth at which it is buried. Credits: koichitakada.com Are you inspired? To support UN’s SDG11, BE OPEN and Cumulus welcome creative solutions that help tackle issues caused by rapid urbanization as part of their Design for Sustainable Cities International student competition, with free entry and €12,000 of prize money. Submit now at citydesign2020.com