Be Open think tank

Paris-based agency JCPCDR Architecture has invented an oak table that won't get in your way in a cramped place. Designed to adapt to various living situations, the Flying Table lowers from the ceiling using detachable straps and raises back when not in use to save on space. The straps are wound around a remote-controlled curtain motor, enabling the table to gradually lower down to the desired height. It can either be left suspended at a level suitable for the user’s height or lowered to the floor to stand on its folding legs. In this case, the detachable straps can be retracted back to the docking element fixed on the ceiling until they are needed again. The Flying Table can function as a desk or meeting table when used in an office, or as a dining table if used at home. More space-saving furniture in our blog.beopenfuture.com

French artist Christophe Guinet, also known as Monsieur Plant, merges nature and pop culture in his sneaker-inspired sculptures. Using bark, moss, petals, flowers, wood and other environmental materials, he transforms the shoes into living works, though short-lived, which can also be worn. Depositing every plant or seed with meticulous dexterity, the artist creates projects, which are both poetic and contemporary, rethinking iconic sneakers in the slightest detail. More sneaker-inspired sculptures in our blog.beopenfuture.com

Sustainable Surface Straws by London-based multidisciplinary studio Layer are conceived not solely to respond to environmental concerns around the use of single-use plastic straws but also to serve as sophisticated sculptural centerpieces when not in use. Available in three different lengths and various shades of green, these elegantly bent straws can be propped up on a monochrome base and displayed under a glass bell jar. The design-minded straws are as practical as they visually engaging: they are made of glass, which makes them reusable and durable. layerdesign.com

Stuttgart-based practice Wulf Architekten has developed a perforated metal façade for the five-storey P22A parking garage of Koelnmesse, Cologne‘s trade fair center. The architects were asked to design an innovative and emblematic facade for the existing S-shaped curved building. To carry out this task, roughly 3,000 laser-cut panels with edge reinforcement were manufactured from perforated metal. The overlapping gill-like metal panels create interesting geometric patterns that evoke a sensuous symbolism, especially at night. The perforations of panels and the gaps between them ensure the natural airflow and also provide sufficient natural lighting for the interior. More buildings with stunning perforated metal facades in our blog.beopenfuture.com

Inspired by the eponymous book by Italo Calvino, London-based paper artists Camille Benoit and Mariana Gella have created Invisible Cities, architectural paper models of four fantastical cities. The fictional cities, named Saori, Azra, Calista and Ika, look both fragile and powerful and allow the viewer to travel to imaginary environments. Though the cities are fictitious, their design was based on some real buildings, including Ricardo Bofill's La Muralla Roja, L'Institut du Monde Arabe, Sakura House, as well as S+PS Architects' Collage House and Xavier Corberó's house. The models were initially sketched on paper before developing the front elevations on Illustrator and using 3D software to find the right proportions for each city. Following the renders, Benoit and Gella cut 2D pieces in both a cutting plotter and manually and then assembled them into 3D models, some with added metal wires for stability. The whole process, including the research period, design, construction and photoshoot, took two months. marianagella.com camille-benoit.com

Local practice Cullinan Studio was commissioned by Islington Council to develop a pavilion to house London’s Bunhill 2 Energy Centre, a revolutionary project that uses waste heat from nearby London Underground tunnels to warm over 1,000 buildings. The architects were asked to create a design that would celebrate this new typology of heat networks. The pattern on the perforated metal panels serve to minimize the visual impact of the new building on the local community. Its block-shaped motifs echo the layout of flats within the adjacent King Square Estate, which the heat network now serves, while the deep red colour pays homage to the hue of the tiles on London Underground station. The pattern ebbs and flows in response to the varying degrees of ventilation required for the equipment behind, while the prefabricated structure is designed to be easily removed to maintain machinery. More buildings with stunning perforated metal facades in our blog.beopenfuture.com

Repurpose with passion and share your sustainable ideas with the community by joining our #BEOPENBetterWay Instagram open call for visual responses presenting an opportunity to win €300. Rules: beopensocial.com Central Saint Martins graduate Qiang Huang has established Bike Scavengers project that aims to design statement products made by salvaged components from discarded bikes. The range comprises semi-finished elements that would require scavenged reclaimed parts, such as seats and mudguards, to create items of furniture including a bench, a stool, a trolley and a lamp. The initiative encourages participants to disassemble shared bikes left on the street and to turn them into valuable products. At the heart of the project, there is a critique of the environmental detriment caused by bike-sharing schemes in their operations and unregulated growth in China. qiangxhuang.com

Mexico-based creative studio MaliArts has designed Refugio, a series of structures aimed to increase the population of solitary bees. These species do not live in a hive, do not have a queen and therefore do not produce honey. For a long time, these species did not receive much attention, but recent studies show that they may be the most efficient pollinators in nature. The shelter is designed to function as both a resting place and a nesting place, while the waterer provides a safe space to drink, and the feeder contains food, for areas without enough flowers. The material pallet includes natural materials, such as pine and teak wood, ceramics and clay. The objects are complemented with a cultivation manual to create sanctuaries of solitary bees, which is a significant way to get involved in the conservation of biodiversity. More creative bee hotels in our blog.beopenfuture.com

Award winning Miami-headquartered Oppenheim Architecture has unveiled the design for a Lago Maggiore retreat in southern Switzerland. Comprising over 100 private residences, a boutique hotel, and wellness environment, the design embraces the region's unique Alpine landscapes and ecologies across three sites. The first site augments an existing urban context with its forested, terraced landscape of gardens, squares, and piazzettas. The second site is a reimagined botanical garden site featuring pergolas, orchards, and cascading pools as a backdrop to an exclusive boutique hotel and hillside spa. At 1,200 metres above the lake, the last set of buildings is placed within a chestnut forest. The material palette includes locally quarried granite, reclaimed chestnut from retired barns and fallen trees, and stucco made with regional aggregates. Local craft will be combined with state-of-the-art techniques in the realization of the project. oppenoffice.com

Ireland-based industrial designer Evan Stuart has developed Layer, modular, customisable and sustainable footwear. Crafted from biodegradable and recycled materials, the product comprises uppers, soles, insoles, and lacing system designed to fasten them together. The user can customize the shoe choosing from a selection of different recycled parts in a variety of different finishes on a convenient online ordering platform. If one of the Layer’s parts wears out, they can only replace just that component, which makes it an everlasting shoe. evanstuart.ie If you too think that there is always a better way than just throwing things out, join our #BEOPENBetterWay open call on Instagram presenting an opportunity to win €300 for the most appealing visuals promoting upcycling and repurposing. Rules: beopensocial.com