Be Open think tank

#BeOpenDESIGN Chicago-based tech startup Ovie has developed LightTags, glowing light rings that signal if an expiry date is approaching through recognisable colour coding, which are easy to read once you open the fridge. Green indicates a recently tagged food, yellow a food that should be eaten as a priority, and red a food that is likely no longer safe to eat. The LighTags can be used literally on any type of product using a universal connector that can stick to any existing packaging. The gadget can be easily removed, reset and re-stuck to another food container to track food again. More smart alternatives to the standardised expiry date stickers in our blog

#BeOpenART Swiss artist Pamela Rosenkranz has "grown" a synthetic artificial tree in hot neon pink on the intersection of 10th Avenue and 30th Street in New York City. Named Old Tree, the sculpture is the third High Line Plinth commission. Changing every 18 months, the Plinth is one of the only sites in New York City for artists to realize large-scale contemporary artworks. On the one hand, the sculpture symbolizes the historical archetypes of the Tree of Life, a natural product of nature that connects heaven and earth. On the other hand, with its form and colour it mirrors the branching systems of organs, blood vessels, and tissue of the human body.

#BeOpenARCH Conceived as a "walkable residence," Casa UC by Mexican architect Daniela Bucio Sistos features a tabachin tree growing through an oculus in a disc-shaped canopy over a courtyard at the heart of the residence. Symbolically, this vestibule is taken as the starting point for the radial floor that runs throughout the project. Arranged around it are enclosures made of red brick, pigmented concrete and glass. All in all, the house is comprised of four bedrooms, a kitchen, a dining area, a living room, and a library. More projects integrating a tree in our blog

#BeOpenNEWS In 2024, BE OPEN Art continues to run BE OPEN Regional Art, the regional competition for emerging artists, aimed to support those whose art best represents their regional, cultural and ethnic identities.  Throughout the year, BE OPEN expert community will continue selecting those of the artists who best represent the artistic tradition of a certain region to feature in the BE OPEN Art gallery and offer them greater visibility. The first stage of the second year of the programme run will cover the countries of Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The stage will last 3 months, with a winner named and awarded 500 euro at the end of March. Vote for the Regional Artist of the Month – your favourite may get a money prize from BE OPEN!

#BeOpenARCH Designed by global architecture studio Populous, the luminous Qiddiya City Esport Arena is a state-of-the-art esports venue that will serve as a centrepiece for this incredible global gaming hub and be a complete representation of Qiddiya’s ‘Play Life’ ethos. The synergy of colossal suspended screens, 5,155 4D haptic seats, and state-of-the-art AV systems aims to lend a fully immersive experience for viewers. Through careful sightline studies and parametric design tools, the architects have ensured optimal seating configuration surrounding a suspended array of screens, the so-called ‘digital chandelier.’

BE OPEN Art is happy to announce that Edizon Musavuli, a visual artist based in Democratic Republic of the Congo, has been selected the Regional Artist of the month (December) by the highest number of votes of BE OPEN Art online gallery visitors. The fourth stage of the programme, which started in October and lasted three months, covered the countries of Central Africa: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo Republic – Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, São Tomé and Principe. Edizon Musavuli has become the last of the three candidates to the Artist of the Region and the 500 euros prize, alongside Marcel Tchopwe (Cameroon) and Makano (DRC). Lost between dreams and reality, Edizon Musavuli chose hyperrealism as the fundamental style, which demanded dedicated work and self-exploration. Very soon, one of the monthly winners will become the winner of the programme, based on the amount of votes by the public and the BE OPEN art community members. Stay tuned!

#BeOpenDESIGN Thank you for being a part of our BE OPEN's journey this year and see you next year! Happy New Year! In time for the holiday season are beard baubles by Beard Season, a simple way to dress up your face like a festive tree. Included in each kit by Beard Season is a pack of miniature, globe-shaped ornaments, varied in colour and size, that can be secured by hair pins.

#BeOpenDESIGN Skateboard brand Global pays homage to the iconic design by Charles and Ray Eames with its limited-edition boards that unite the furniture design and skateboarding. The Eames Office Lounge Collection comprises a 30-inch cruiser made of white ash wood, a 32-inch cruiser from walnut timber, and a 38-inch longboard carved from black oak. The boards are crafted from furniture-grade materials and feature exceptional details. When the users flip their skateboards, they can find the laser-carved logo of Eames Office on the surface of the board.

#BeOpenDESIGN Central Saint Martins graduate Luke Talbot has created MyPowerbank, a portable charger that can be hooked up to rental bikes to allow homelessness people to charge their phones for free. Even when the bicycle is parked in of the 800 docking stations across the British capital, its chain will still move when pedalling backwards. The designer took advantage of this fact, utilizing pedalling to power up the tiny generator slotted onto the bike's chain, similar to the the dynamo commonly used to power bike lights. The electricity generated in the process is then stored in the device's internal batteries, with around 25 minutes of pedalling equating to one full phone charge. Talbot built the dynamo from scratch using a Youtube tutorial and the two batteries reclaimed from old powerbanks.

#BeOpenDESIGN Designer Giles Nartey has presented Interplay, a communal bench with an intricately carved surface that doubles as a West African strategy game of Oware, taught to Nartey by his grandparents when he lived in Ghana as a child. Trying to reimagine the urban furniture as a place for communal interaction and convivial play, the designer has developed the piece for two people to straddle while facing the centre. The bench's design draws inspiration from the rich tradition of African skin marking, akin to the practice of scarification.

#BeOpenNEWS BE OPEN believes that the ability for creative interpretation is not confined within the art and design industry. The new open call #BEOPENFutureVision focuses on people’s ability to imagine what various aspects of future may look like, and create relevant imagery. This may range from creating your own futuristic art pieces to capturing glimpses of the future in the lights, reflections and architecture of modern cities, or to AI generated images - you can prove that your creativity is unlimited, and images of the future are all around us today. We invite you to join our new #BEOPENFutureVision open call and share the visuals that reveal your vision of the future to connect with open-minded people worldwide. The open call will close February 29th, 2024. BE OPEN Community members will then select the winning post from a shortlist of submissions with the highest number of likes by social media users. The winner will receive a €300 prize. Learn more at beopensocial.com

#BeOpenDESIGN If you observe X-mas Treet by Korean designer Minji Jung, you will be able to come with multiple creative uses. This ceramic set is comprised of several stacked pieces that can be used in a variety of ways, not only during the holiday season but all year long. The porcelain pieces are designed to serve as candle holders, espresso cups, sauce plates or dipping bowls, cup covers, and of course as festive decoration. More X-mas tree shaped design pieces in our blog

#BeOpenDESIGN Oregon-based everyday tool maker The James Brand has created a snowflake-shaped Christmas tree decoration that doubles as a shuriken (or “ninja star”). With six very sharp points, The Throwflake® can be used as a make-shift defense weapon or tool, which is as good as a knife, good enough to cut through objects like wood or even tin cans. More incredible Christmas tree ornaments in our blog

#BeOpenNEWS At this special time of year, we give thanks for all of you who participate in our projects and follow our initiative. Thank you for being you from all of us at BE OPEN team!

#BeOpenDESIGN Canadian engineer JBV has created a kinetic sculpture that makes use of 5 bevel gears and a fully 3D printed chain and sprocket system to rotate the snowflakes in 2 different directions. Named Trippy Snowflake, the fully mechanical sculpture creates visual effects that can not only enhance the festive season, but also make the item a year round conversation piece.

#BeOpenDESIGN United Caps and Mimica have collaborated to introduce specially designed bottle caps that offer a reliable method for distinguishing whether the contents has spoiled. Originally conceived with the visually impaired in mind, the tactile Mimica Bump Cap contains a patented gel technology that activates upon the first opening of the beverage and uses a combination of time and temperature to accurately gauge the freshness of the product. A smooth swipe across the surface of the cap indicates that the product is still fresh and safe for consumption, while a bumpy texture suggests that it has started to spoil.

#BeOpenDESIGN As part of his graduate project at Bauhaus-University Weimar, German designer Christoph Thetard has created an electricity-free set of pedal-powered kitchen gadgets. Called R2B2, the appliance includes a hand blender, coffee grinder and food processor. All appliances can be stored in a pull-out cabinet on one side of the wooden unit containing a flywheel drive mechanism that is set in action with muscular strength. Using the pedal, it is possible to speed up the flywheel to 400 rpm, generating enough energy to work one minute with 350W.

#BeOpenARCH Inspired by the traditional Mamluki architecture of Islamic Cairo, Kuwait-based Babnimnim Design Studio has created a mosque for the local community in Al-Masayel. The central design concept draws inspiration from the Moqarnas, a distinctive Islamic architectural element that balances the load of a dome over a square room through intricate geometry. The architects also draw on other classic Islamic motifs, including calligraphy relief, intricate geometric ornamentation, and lancet archways with a pointed tip. More contemporary Islamic architecture in our blog

#BeOpenARCH Architecture studio Sahabat Selojene has created a skinny seven-bedroom hotel that occupies a super narrow spot between an alleyway and houses in Java, Indonesia. Named PituRooms, the building is one room wide. Each "micro room" measures 2.8 by 3 metres with a height of 2.4 metres and contains a double bed and a bathroom pod with a toilet and shower. so far the reaction the team received from our guests is that they are amazed by how little space is actually needed to live and move comfortably, despite the typical mindset surrounding the hospitality industry.

#BeOpenNEWS Check out our YouTube channel for the first glimpse into BE OPEN's participation in SES 2023 in Abu Dhabi hosted by the amazing team of Student Energy and NYU Abu Dhabi, and COP28 in Dubai. We were joined by our great and talented awardees of the Better Energy by Design competition: Qin Zhou, Kevin Sulca, Iwana Sampaio Raydan and Mirjam Hoechst.