Be Open think tank

#BeOpenDESIGN Valencia-based interiors firm Clap Studio has created the first permanent outpost of Baovan, a local food truck delivering steamed Chinese bao buns and clearly inspired by the surfing, and tried to transport the user to a beach from where to watch the sunset and enjoy some handmade baos. A porch full of ropes that fall from the ceiling represents a dense vegetation of the forest, while a half-moon-shaped screen is programmed to mimic the changing colours of a sunset on the beach. Round and crescent shapes are repeated throughout the space inspired by the shape of the bao bread.

#BeOpenART In the sweeping installation French Exit by Lithuanian artist Tadao Cern, a cloud of feathery grasses looms over the room. According to the artist, french exit is a term that describes the act of leaving a social gathering or bad date without saying goodbye. The immersive artwork juxtaposes the ephemeral, dried material with the viewers who stand underneath as it creates a soothing and introspective space to consider the notions of farewells, whether it be the close of a party or more profound experiences, like the end of a relationship or death.

#BeOpenDESIGN Driftscape is a hospitality concept designed by Toronto branch of the global architecture firm HOK that uses drone technology to allow guests to roam or touch down in diverse locations that were previously unattainable at traditional hotels. The scheme calls for two types of modular units. One, called the Driftcraft, would measure approximately 19sqm and would contain a guest room for two adults with a transformable lounger and a three-piece bathroom. While inside the unit, guests will be able to experience a pre-selected excursion path of their choosing. The other modular unit would encompass 232 sqm, and would contain support services and amenities. The design calls for connecting three of the larger pods to form an Oasis Base, which would offer a communal lounge, a restaurant and a courtyard.

#BeOpenARCH Located in the heart of Helsinki, Amos Rex by local studio JKMM architects is a new art museum that rethinks the urban park as part of museum experience. The underground museum is topped with large concrete domes that contain skylights introducing natural light into the galleries below. This principle allows long column-free spans and flexible exhibition spaces for museum use as well as provides carefully selected views of life above. At street level, the domes form an undulating landscape that defines unique identity of the new urban square. More buildings with spectacular skylights in our blog

#BeOpenARCH Dunas is a mesmerizing hotel design proposed by architecture firm Jasper Architects. Envisioned among the sandy dunes of Kuwait, the competition-winning concept offers an immersive oasis experience that allows observing the surrounding desert from within. Inspired by the topography of the largely deserted country, the concept mimics the textures, shapes, colours, and soft curvilinear geometries of the natural landscape. A circular roof folds down in a radial array, following the undulations of the desert dunes and creating room for private units. The smooth touchpoints between the rooms give access to the roof via molded stairs. Enhancing visible connections further, the clear sky is framed through the perforations in the roof. More immersive architecture in our blog

#BeOpenARCH Located in a new urban settlement in New Taipei City, Taiwan, high-rise building Tamkang Church centre completed by German practice Behet Bondzio Lin Architekten is inspired the new residential towers being built around it. The concrete tower is topped with an angular roof punctured by cruciform skylights. Across its 11 storeys, the building houses events spaces, lecture halls, congregation areas, classrooms and welfare spaces stacked atop one another and connected by staircases and lifts. A playful, informal arrangement of deeply-recessed windows and cut-outs characterize the exterior of the building, finished in exposed, board-formed concrete.

#BeOpenDESIGN The Living Bench by architect and biodesigner Bob Hendrikx is an inflatable structure made of bio-based plastic that uses a species called hair algae to absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, which literally makes it pollution-fighting street furniture. The structure comprises ten interconnected pouches that are filled with 120 litres of algae water collected from several ponds in the Netherlands. At this stage, it remains unclear exactly how much air something like this can purify. However, according to the designer, 500 liters of algae solution could filter the equivalent of about 200 liters of polluted air per minute, depending on the algae species, the temperature, and the amount of airflow.

#BeOpenDESIGN Concerned by the fact that 90% of European sheep wool goes to waste, Estonian startup Woola has made up their minds to put this unused material to good use. Their Bubble Wool is a truly sustainable alternative to plastic bubble wrap that has been the go-to protective packaging for decades. Such qualities as elasticity, water repellency, and resistance to temperature extremes make wool a perfect material for packing items that need extra cushioning. Its other applications offered by Woola include wool-padded mail envelopes and protective sleeves for bottles made using a mixture of wool and paper.

#BeOpenARCH London-based architecture studio Tonkin Liu has completed a biomimetic tower supporting and enclosing flues for a low-carbon energy centre in Manchester, England, along with a sculptural wall made from organically-shaped tiles. Together, the 40-metre tall Tower of Light anda 63-metre long, 4- 6 metre height Wall of Energy form a holistic energy landmark that engages communities with the innovative technologies at the heart of Manchester’s low-carbon ambition and Climate Change Action Plan. What picture represents a more sustainable world achievable with affordable and clean energy for you? Share your visuals with the global community joining our #BEOPENCleanEnergy Instagram open call and get a chance to win a €300 prize. Find details at beopensocial.com

#BeOpenARCH Concerned by the rapid global increase in urbanization, Indian computational designer and architect Manas Bhatia has utilized text-to-image AI generator Midjourney to imagine how sustainable architecture in the utopian future may look like. His AI x Future Cities series envisions a sustainable utopian city with tall skyscrapers clad in algae that double as vertical gardens and biophilic air purification towers, reducing carbon emissions and minimizing the use of artificial cooling. More AI-generated architecture in our blog