Be Open think tank

#BeOpenDESIGN A pet-friendly walking aid concept by designer Feng Chang has room for a beloved furry friend who keeps company to people advanced in age when they go out. The most conspicuous part of this walker is the large box for a pet to stay comfortably inside when they accompany the user. The cat or small dog gets inside using a sliding door on the top, vents allow the pet to breathe easily when inside. The concept is intended to prioritize the human need for companionship and the importance of emotional care. Other features include the handle that travels in almost any direction, a brake button, as well as LED lights above the wheels. (via yankodesign)

#BeOpenDESIGN Designed by Max Gunawan for Lumio, Teno is a beautiful sculptural lamp that doubles as powerful hi-end speakers. Developed to evoke a warmth too often absent from contemporary technology, Teno comprises a beautifully imperfect sculpture made from natural sand with an arresting "scar" separating its two halves. When pulled apart When cracked open, the product reveals soft, warm light that can be adjusted with a simple tap. When fully open, it’s a powerful speaker, releasing a rich sound, which one can control with a touch.

#BeOpenDESIGN Collaborating with Mcdonald’s France, Paris-based global design studio Elium Studio has designed the whole new range of reusable tableware to reduce waste in the fast-food restaurants. To create the items, the team selected Tritan, a plastic resin, which is similar to glass and ceramic in its hardness and transparency, and which preserves the organoleptic qualities of the food. More than two years were necessary to develop the new reusable tableware meeting the operational constraints of McDonalds restaurants. The range mimics the original recognizable design. Thus, the container for the french fries is still the iconic red, but it is a much more eco-friendly option, as compared to its predecessor.

#BeOpenDESIGN At this year’s ISH fair at Frankfurt am Main, Finnish design company Woodio presented the world’s first 100% waterproof solid wood composite toilet. In Woodio Block, everything from the seat to the bowl is formed from an innovative Woodio® material, a combination of wood and resin-based adhesive, which considerably reduces CO2 footprint when compared to ceramic products. The impact-resistant material makes the product practically unbreakable in normal use, while its dirt-repellent coating is easy to clean. Woodio Block works the same way as any other toilet but thanks to the high wood content it also feels warm on the skin to sit on.

#BeOpenDESIGN Kingston University graduate Fern Toynton uses colourful modelling balloons instead of nails and screws to secure self-assembly furniture. Upon discovering that inflating something through a hole creates a flexible joint, the designer devised Inflate Kit that is literally as playful as a children's building toy. An instruction manual that comes with the product gives suggestions of what users can make, but the designer hopes the kit will encourage creativity and teamwork in children during the assembly process, since it requires more than one person to build it.

#BeOpenDESIGN Taiwan-based studio SUNRIU proposes a furniture design that integrates a resting space for cats. Designed as a part of the Flow Collection, this minimal and chic-looking armchair features sophisticated spiral hollow armrests extending to its backrest. Not only this feature adds an interesting and artistic element to its appearance, it also functions as cozy little nooks for a cat to snuggle in. In such a way, it creates a shared space, where the owner and pet can spend some quality time together. More bespoke cat-friendly furniture in our blog

#BeOpenDESIGN Although Helium-10000, puffer jacket by Italian designer Andrew Kostman filled with helium instead of down, cannot lift the wearer off the ground, it can be carried around like a balloon using a long dangling tag. As the jacket can float on its own, the user can leave it floating on the ceiling as a work of art instead of hanging it on a coat rack. More balloon-inspired designs in our blog

#BeOpenDESIGN Scientists from the University of Manchester led by Dr. Aled Roberts have developed a new material, dubbed StarCrete, which is made from Martian soil, potato starch, and a pinch of salt. Twice as strong as ordinary concrete, it is perfectly suited for construction work in extra-terrestrial environments, e.g. on Mars or on the Moon, based on the preliminary tests of the team. Current building technologies still need many years of development and require considerable energy and additional heavy processing equipment, which add cost and complexity to a mission. StarCrete doesn’t need any of this and therefore simplifies the mission and makes it cheaper and more feasible.

#BeOpenART Kyiv-based Balbek Bureau has recently completed an art installation for the Vernadsky Research Base on the island of Galindez in Antarctica. The brief called for reimagining the appearance of an old defunct fuel tank located on the territory of the research base. The tank is one of the very first things seen by the approximately four thousand tourists visiting the Antarctic research centre every year during the Antarctic summer. The team chose to envision the base as a ‘home away from home’ for polar researchers, so they designed an installation taking inspiration from the image of a traditional rural house. A thin detailed frame around the tank resembles a pencil sketch: as if someone draws their childhood home from memory.

#BeOpenARCH London-based architect, writer and teacher of Indian origin Shahed Saleem has created a colourful pavilion evoking an abstracted mosque erected at the V&A museum as part of this year's Ramadan Festival, which celebrates the holy month of Ramadan. The design draws inspiration from the V&A’s collection of drawings and photographs of historic Islamic architecture and aims to represent the history of the mosque and Muslims in Britain. The Pavilion will host a series of public events to inspire and engage audiences from all backgrounds and two Open Iftars.