Be Open think tank

#BeOpenDESIGN With real living moss inside, desktop-sized humidifier and purifier by Mosslab turns dry air into moisture-rich environments. Named Moss Air, the device features a moss panel that serves a dual purpose: filtering out fine dust particles and converting carbon dioxide into oxygen. The moss not only cleans the air but also increases humidity levels. As a rootless plant, moss does not require soil maintenance and can last up to 6 months without a drop of moisture and still spring back to life when watered.

#BeOpenDESIGN As part of the "Walking Sticks & Canes" exhibition at Triennale Milano during Milan Design Week 2024 curated by industrial designer Kenji Takeuchi, Portuguese designer Hugo Passos has reimagined the titular object. He has developed Cestino, a beautifully crafted wooden stick that features a small integrated basket for picking fruit and gathering things in the garden. More reimagined walking sticks in our blog

#BeOpenDESIGN Inspired by the ancient Japanese art of Kintsugi, which involves repairing the seams of broken pottery with lacquer and gold, Kawatsugi ( 'leather repair' in Japanese) technique by Israeli designer Roee Ben Yehuda employs the use of leather as a means of filling in the cracks and imperfections. The idea came to the designer after receiving broken ceramics from Japan in the mail. Each piece is transformed with leather interventions, their textures mending the cracks of the broken pieces as a contemporary nod to the traditional crafts.

#BeOpenNEWS Over two days of April 22-23, the Centre of Visual Arts and Research in Nicosia welcomed 160 schoolchildren from Cyprus public schools who took part in the educational sessions organized by BE OPEN Foundation. Each session consisted of a lecture on craft-related entrepreneurship and a master-class of traditional Cypriot weaving. The lecture was prepared by a young entrepreneur Andreani Panayide, who shared her own journey. Elli Filokyprou, a weaver of over 20 years of experience taught the children master classes of actual weaving on small transportable looms, and helped them create their own pieces of fabric. Founder of BE OPEN Elena Baturina welcomed the children, thanked the project supporters including the Deputy Minister of Culture Dr. Vasiliki Kassianidou, Permanent Secretary Dr. Marina Ioannou Hasapi, Mayor of Nicosia Constantinos Yiorkadjis, Anna Zavou Christoforou, the Internal Audit Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus, and CVAR Founder Dr. Rita C. Severis.  #BeOpenNEWS

#BeOpenDESIGN Convinced that conservation should be prioritized over recycling, Seoul-based mmmdesignstudio has developed the Dots Stool, a concept that allows to produce the maximum number of chairs using minimal materials. The design process makes it possible to produce approximately 4.5 times more units than a typical-sized stool, while using the same amount of material.

#BeOpenARCH Designed by local studio Namo Architecture and i29 Architects, Buitenverblijf Nest is an idyllic little cabin that looks like an oversized birdhouse. The cabin is part of a series of 11 micro dwellings on this former barracks site and was designed to be vacation rentals by the local authorities. The Buitenverblijf Nest is elevated on slender black supports and is raised 7.5 meters above the forest floor. The exterior of the home has space for birds, bats, and insects, as well as solar panels on the roof that give access to power.

#BeOpenDESIGN Chair-object, or Ode to Chair 14, by designer Jiri Krejcirik pays homage to the iconic Chair 14 by furniture company Ton that has been on the market for over 180 years. The backrest is constructed from bent wooden circles that applaud the bending craftsmanship of Ton, which is known as masters of the bending technique. Now new mold had to be created to make this sculpture of a chair, as the designer intentionally created it from components and molds already in Ton's production.

#BeOpenARCH Located in the historic center of Chisinau in the courtyard of the Art Academy (AMTAP), the ARTCOR – Creative Industries Center has been designed by architect Maxim Calujac with a vision to become a hub for the development of creative industries in Moldova. The new construction is a volume of reinforced concrete, wrapped in Corten steel, with the interior design accentuating the building's structural features, such as a caisson ceiling, internal auditorium staircases, and tinted concrete walls. The external concrete staircase serves not only as a path to the green roof, but also as an amphitheater and a space for interaction and communication.

#BeOpenNEWS BE OPEN Foundation in cooperation with the Centre of Visual Arts and Research (CVAR) have come up with a new educational initiative in Nicosia, Cyprus, dedicated to the popularization and preservation of traditional Cyprus fabric production techniques. On April 22 and 23, BE OPEN and CVAR will run six educational sessions for Nicosia schoolchildren, each consisting of a lecture on craft-related entrepreneurship and a master-class of traditional Cypriot weaving. The lecture will be based on the experience of Andreani Panayide, a young woman of Cypriot origin, who will share her journey from trying to explore her cultural heritage to establishing a fashion brand that trades in accessories and clothes internationally; the master classes will be held by Elli Filokyprou, a weaver of over 20 years of experience, who runs her weaving workshop in the village of Gourri.

#BeOpenDESIGN As part of her final project at Kingston University, BA Product and Furniture Design graduate Sofia Matheou transformed inflatable furniture, typically associated with low quality and quick disposal, into a collection of high-end statement pieces. For her Inflate Series, the designer utilised an inner tube, a steel frame and donated leather off-cuts from an upholstery manufacturer. She reimagined the conventional upholstery process by eliminating foam, padding, and glue typically found in traditional furniture and replacing them with air. Additionally, these pieces are lightweight, easy to transport and can be deflated and re-inflated whenever necessary with a standard bike pump.

#BeOpenARCH Based on a standard shipping container, the minimalist dwelling by Portuguese studio Madeiguincho aptly named Cargo measures 6 x 2.5 metres. Inside, there is a large room adorned with wooden decor that features a raised bed, with some storage space underneath. The tiny home also includes a compact kitchen with a sink and basic cooking facilities, as well as a small bathroom with a toilet and shower. The team topped the shipping container with a rooftop terrace that can be accessed via a ladder. One of the exterior walls of the container is left uncovered, so that the home can open up to the outside allowing the occupants to enjoy the weather. Insulation and operable windows help maintain a cool temperature throughout the house. More design-minded tiny homes in our blog.

#BeOpenDESIGN Jewel Vase Mirror Stand by Japanese studio Soem is a smart dual-functional product that is designed to double as an accessory stand. Built from a durable bioplastic material made of rice husks, the multifaceted product boasts a simple yet elegant design that makes it stand out in any setting. Because of the mirror, enhancing anything placed in front of it, even the simple act of filling the vase becomes a moment of zen-like peace and relaxation, making everyday mundane activities art-like. via yankodesign

#BeOpenDESIGN Developed by Japan-based design brand Mecli, Flowery Tale vase looks like a book that open up to reveal a 3D vase silhouette made out of the book’s specially-cut pages. Each book contains three vase designs and can be used upside down, so the user can enjoy a total of six different arrangements. When opened, the hard-bound book's spine provides enough negative space to slide a test-tube in where, which makes it possible to use the book as a vase. To prevent the book from getting wet, the team opted tor water-resistant paper.

#BeOpenDESIGN Jewel Vase Mirror Stand by Japanese studio Soem is a smart dual-functional product that is designed to double as an accessory stand. Built from a durable bioplastic material made of rice husks, the multifaceted product boasts a simple yet elegant design that makes it stand out in any setting. Because of the mirror, enhancing anything placed in front of it, even the simple act of filling the vase becomes a moment of zen-like peace and relaxation, making everyday mundane activities art-like. via yankodesign

#BeOpenART New York-based artist CJ Hendry has transformed the desert landscape of Sandy Valley Ranch, Nevada, with the Public Pool installation. The artwork comprises a massive 50-meter-long inflatable pool that invites visitors to immerse themselves in this unexpected oasis, in a celebration of Vegas extravagance, "glitz and whimsical kitsch."

#BeOpenDESIGN Design studios Modem Works and Panter & Tourron have combined the science of artificial intelligence and the wisdom of mindfulness to create Terra, an incredible, pocket-sized compass that lets you wander "without the distractions of your phone." The gadget's AI translates the user's intentions, available time, and precise location into a tailored trail of GPS coordinates. The design is open-source: you can download the software, 3D print the CAD files, assemble the necessary hardware components and start wandering.

#BeOpenDESIGN According to Korean product designer Joonyeol Bae, his Light-Up Desk Lamp is born from an idea of a new beginning, which is implied by the simple action of turning on the light. Designed to get people into "work mode," the productivity-enhancing desk lamp has little focus on changing the amount of illumination on the desk, which eliminates disturbing colour changes and odd flickers and reduces eye fatigue. Light-Up is also an excellent table organizer that can hold sticky notes keeping the to-do list right before the user's eyes.

#BeOpenDESIGN Singapore-based product designer Ye JJ has combined traditional craft of lantern making and 3D printing to construct a scent diffusing table lamp using a material that blooms when switched on. Aptly named Lotus, the lamp features petals fashioned from rice paper and a shape-memory alloy that gently open up when the light bulb gives off warmth and closes slowly when it cools down. This poetic and magical transition takes approximately 1-3 min and is intended to incorporate organic elements of nature into everyday tech appliances. #BeOpenDESIGN

#BeOpenRegionalArt #BeOpenNEWS In 2024, BE OPEN Art continues to run BE OPEN Regional Art, the regional competition for emerging artists, whose art best represents their regional, cultural and ethnic identities. Every month of the first decade of 2024, works by 20 emerging artists from the countries of Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan were posted at the online gallery for the public to select their favourites. We are happy to announce that the Artist of the Region for Central Asia has been selected by the curators of BE OPEN Community out of the three monthly winners. The winner is Zhyldyz Bekova, a painter and digital artist from Kyrgyzstan. In her paintings, Zhyldyz uses themes from myths, customs and traditions of Turkic ethnic peoples of Central Asia. The artist will now be offered a grant of 500 euro from BE OPEN.

#BeOpenDESIGN Developed by the team from Shenzhen explore home industrial design co.,ltd (Chu Dongdong, Liu Bei, Ren Peng, Lin Rulong, and Weng Hang), the award-winning Time Machine Table Lamp not only uses the shape of a traditional hourglass, it also has a function of timing. The appliance features a freely rotating shade with a central pivot and LEDs on both ends. When the lighting area is rotated, timing is started. When time passes, the upper half of the hourglass dims down and the lower half begins illuminating, as if light particles run down like grains of sand.