Be Open think tank

#BeOpenDESIGN To raise awareness of the problem of climate change, London-based Andre Kong Studio has created A Cautionary Benchmark, a public seating structure that physically portrays the scale of the challenges awaiting humans in the future. The bench is set on two levels. One is at ground level and invites passers-by to sit on, while the other will be accessible in 2030, after large parts of London endure serious regular flooding reaching up to 2.6m above the current high tide level, as predicted by the research by NASA and Climate Central. The entire structure is built from reclaimed and reused metal components, to lower the footprint.

#BeOpenDESIGN The design of Sunbeam Side Table by London-based designer Mark Mitchell beautifully captures the natural phenomena called “rays of god,” sunbeams that pierce through gaps in clouds resulting in sunlight shining in all directions. The sturdy and stable furniture piece is made from a single block of marble, skillfully carved to hold eleven spruce wood beams extending from the top point, without any glue. These wooden “sunrays,” that are designed to serve as a tabletop, cast radial-patterned shadows on the smooth, angled marble surface when lit from above. More bespoke side table designs in our blog

#BeOpenDESIGN Cao Weizhi, Chen Yining and Zhang Xinyu, graduate students of LuXun Academy of Fine Arts, have won A’ Design Award in Vehicle, Mobility and Transportation Design with their project of Fold And Rescue lifeboat that can be flat-packed while storing, and opened on command. Aiming at the problem of insufficient number of lifeboats in the ship's stockpile, the team drew inspiration from origami paper boats. The design is composed of nine thickened buoyancy boards and soft links made of reflective materials. When opened, the lifeboat features two seats and can comfortably accommodate 4-6 people. When needed, all operations can be completed in one step by unfastening the three straps in turn. via adesignaward.com

#BeOpenDESIGN Petvation by Javis Sijin is a smart pet door that uses facial recognition technology to allow only approved pets to enter or exit the house. The solution addresses the problem of conventional flap-based doors that heightens the danger of the pet escaping or stranger animals breaking in. Petvation comprises a door made of aluminium alloy that slide up and down enabled by two sets of high-resolution infrared cameras are built into the slim door frame. Infrared cameras work even in low light, detecting a pet that exits the home and opening only when it ‘sees’ this particular part. Airtight, windproof and water-sealed, the door is not prone to breakage or damage. Petvation comes with a smartphone app that enables the user to control the door remotely.

#BeOpenARCH Batyrkhan Bayaliev, CG artist based in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, has reimagined traditional yurts common for nomadic tribes of Central Asian as a cuboidal brutalist housing. Given the issues posed by climate change, the designer feels like temporary tents that remain relatively unchanged even today, just like the nomadic lifestyle in general, may not be too feasible in the future. The permanent two-level concrete structures by Bayaliev are more spacious and designed to be built on much colder ground. Just like their original counterparts, they do not feature discernible windows or ventilation on the side, which helps maintain a livable climate inside, protecting the occupants from the harsh weather of the cold landscape outside.

#BeOpenDESIGN Inspired by traditional Chinese rituals, The Anxiety Relief Set is a series of five jewellery pieces designed by Yijia He, student of Jewellery Materials and Design at Sheffield Hallam University, to demonstrate the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic had on our mental health of the epidemic and to seek psychological comfort to alleviate the anxiety caused by the crisis and isolation. He used modelling and 3D printing techniques to construct the subjects, incorporating paper money, incense, facemasks and other special materials. The designer also incorporates performance into their work, which breaks the boundaries of jewellery design, allowing the work to interact with the audience and to make the process part of the work.

#BeOpenARCH Rafał Jakubowski, 3D artist based in Poznan, Poland, has envisioned a conceptualized underwater extension to a home located close to the shore in Koh Pangan, Thailand. Named Underwater Bubble, it comprises a glass dome nestled safely on the ocean floor for the occupants to enjoy the underwater life whenever they feel like doing so.

#BeOpenNEWS BE OPEN Art is happy to announce our latest Artist of the Month chosen by the visitors of our online gallery. Every month we carefully handpick a selection of emerging talents for you to vote for at art.beopenfuture.com This time the award goes to Luciana Mazzucchelli, graphic designer, photographer and illustrator born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, currently based in Barcelona, Spain. Her artworks depicting complex, yet beautiful textures have gained her a majority of votes this June. We congratulate Luciana and take the opportunity to thank everyone who voted.

#BeOpenARCH Architecture studio ZJA was approached by the Docking the Amsterdam Foundation for a concept for a museum in the Netherlands to house the wreck of the historic ship Amsterdam, which is currently sunk off the coast of Hastings, UK. The museum has been commissioned to save the 40-metre-long shipwreck built in the 18th century by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) from an unsafe site with a huge tidal range to prevent it from further erosion. The architects have proposed to relocate the ship without taking it out of water and build the museum around a glass tank containing its remains for the visitors to observe it from several angles and watch "live excavating" of the ship by diving archaeologists. Above water, the museum will be topped by a curved canopy made from white tensile fabrics, described by ZJA as a "protective blanket". More underwater architecture in our blog