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#BeOpenNEWS #BeOpenARTRaúl Cárcamo @devils.son__, a freelance artist and illustrator from El Salvador currently based in Dublin, Ireland, has been selected the Regional Artist of the Month (July 2024). Raúl has become the first of the three candidates to the Artist of the Region (Central America), an artist who best represents the artistic tradition of Central America: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. 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. The second stage of the second year of the programme run will cover the countries of Central America. The stage will traditionally last three months, and the regional winner for Central America will be announced and awarded 500 euro at the end of September 2024. Find more Raúl's works at art.beopenfuture.com/raul-carcamo/

#BeOpenDESIGN As part of her project during her studies in Umeå Institute of Design (UID), Swedish designer Moa Lövinder has developed a concept for ’growing shoes’ for children aged 2-3 years. The design seeks to reduce the overall production of children footwear, promote shoe recycling, minimize waste, and ultimately contribute to improved consumption behavior in the long term. Modular components make it easy for parents to replace parts or make repairs at home, which prolongs the shoe’s life and also teaches children the value of maintaining what they have. Additionally, the shoe’s sole is crafted from reused materials, which can be recycled again once it reaches the end of its life.

#BeOpenDESIGN Current Window project by Dutch designer Marjan van Aubel uses a process derived from photosynthesis, which plants use to convert sunlight into energy, to harvest sunlight and convert it into electricity to charge small computer devices. The photovoltaic cells covered by organic light-absorbing dyes between the panes are connected to a battery contained within a frame featuring USB charging ports integrated into the window ledge. Each window can harvest up to 25 watts per day. More window innovations in our blog.

#BeOpenARCH Japanese studio VUILD has created a tower-like sauna in Teshikaga, Hokkaido, assembled from curved, parametrically prefabricated wooden blocks. The three dimension Cypress wood modules were produced using a 5-axis CNC machine, each block holding a distinct shape. The components of varying heights were then stacked into an asymmetrical tower in a manner similar to assembling children's toys.

#BeOpenDESIGN Developed by UK-based design studio Butler Wiltshire (previously WMB), Vox Pod is a new reflective space within Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, aiming to encourage the recording of feedback, host micro-meetings and be easily moved to various locations around the building. The form is derived from a radiused and extruded equilateral triangle, divided into three equal modules. The exterior of acoustic foam pyramids, commonly found within the interiors of sound booths, provides a distinctive and tactile texture within the hospital environment, engaging for patients and staff alike.

#BeOpenARCH Located in Tirana, Albania, Bound is a mixed-use building designed by architecture studio OODA that comprises two connected skyscrapers informed by the silhouette of a ballet dancer's bent knees when performing the plié position. The parametric structure of the building reflects the traditional patterns of Albanian carpets, creating a unique texture on the facade, while the public and green spaces around the building, inspired by the Albanian mountains, are designed to encourage dialogue and enrich community life.

#BeOpenARCH Located on a narrow plot in the center of Ha Long, a modern city near the sea in Vietnam, Hien’s House has been designed by Hanoi-based d15studio for a family of four who wished to have a space to enjoy urban life away from the city’s bustle. With open spaces connecting from the first floor to the mezzanine and the upper floors, the building facilitates a flow of air and natural light circulating throughout the building. The architects introduced a system of balconies and green plant pots, acting as a biological layer to mitigate environmental impacts and create a sense of harmony with the surrounding urban environment.

#BeOpenDESIGN As part of his thesis project at Glasgow School of Art, experimental product designer Conor McArthur produced Kelpworks, a project informed by material research and exploration into using seaweed, which is abundant in Scotland, as an alternative to leather. The outcome takes form as a conceptual pavilion for events and music festivals, where synthetic textiles are replaced by the seaweed leather. The project comprises a segment of the pavilion, composed of reclaimed wood and seaweed paneling, that provides seating, shelter, and privacy, with possible modular variations indicating scalability for diverse event scenarios.

#BeOpenARCH Seine Design, which specializes in floating architecture, has introduced Annette K, a floating swimming pool and wellness gym moored on the Seine in Paris, France. Central to the barge is a magnificent open-air rooftop pool offering views of the Eiffel Tower. Constructed from wood, steel, and glass, the suspended pool evokes memories of the historic Deligny pool and ethereal Impressionist water scenes. More state-of-art public swimming pools in our blog.

#BeOpenART Argentinian-Spanish artist Felipe Pantone has used 130,000 mosaic tesserae to create a prismatic spiral of colour in Chromadynamica Pool, a residential swimming pool in a seafront home in Jávea, Spain. The optical effect shakes up the modest-looking architecture of the residence and makes the rippling water whirl as the glass mosaics play with the sunlight, amplified by the whirlwind-like placement of the tesserae. More outstanding swimming pools in our blog.

#BeOpenDESIGN Slow is a series by Su Yang Choi featuring a lighting fixture and an ikebana vase crafted from a new algae-based biodegradable material and shaped using traditional Korean knotting techniques known as Maedeup. Free from artificial chemicals, the material minimizes energy consumption during manufacturing and can be easily reshaped through heating.

#BeOpenNEWS #BeOpenART Every month of the second quarter of 2024, works by 20 emerging artists from the countries of Middle East: Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen were posted at the online gallery for the public to select the Regional Artist of the Month. Based on the amount of votes by the public and BE OPEN’s art community members, the April winner Samar Alzaidy, Iraqi painter experimenting with watercolours, has become the Artist of the Region for Central Asia. The artist will be offered a grant of 500 euro from BE OPEN.

#BeOpenDESIGN The beauty of Blom air purifier developed by Korean studio Designer Dot lies in its organic shape that mimics the natural form of a flower. Whether mounted on a wall or placed on a stand, it elevates the visual appeal of any interior space, turning a functional appliance into a piece of art.

#BeOpenDESIGN Produced by Shenzhen Samore Design&Research Product Planning, Accordion paper cup is a new type of eco-friendly portable paper cup, which has a sleeve that expands upward, turning it into an improvised bag to hold the takeout drink. The product is made entirely from recyclable, renewable and biodegradable materials, reducing unnecessary waste. The design provides both cold and heat insulation, as well as an extra grip for an otherwise smooth and slippery cup. via ifdesign.com

#BeOpenARCH French artist Raphaël Zarka has teamed up with architect Jean-Benoît Vétillard to design a skateable sculpture in the Piazza of Centre Pompidou in Paris in time for the 2024 Olympic Games. Among the project's design influences and inspirations are the experimental physics laboratories, astronomer Galileo’s cycloid, as well as references from the early 20th century, and the constructivist and geometric abstraction movement.

#BeOpenARCH Local Studio MOTO has collaborated with MOUTON engineering to develop Westerpunt, a uniquely shape observation point among the dunes on a sea shore in De Panne, Belgium. The sculptural concrete structure transforms the rectilinear walk along the dike into a three dimensional experience connecting all the elements. At high tide, the structure is partly submerged but still accessible.

#BeOpenDESIGN Swedish practice Anders Berensson Architects has been commissioned by the Swedish Royal Court to investigate the future of twelve big disused power towers situated in he urban national park in central Stockholm. As an alternative to demolition, the architects have proposed to transform one or two of them into picnic towers with a magnificent view over the park. Constructed to carry heavy power lines over the tree tops in the park. the towers are strong enough to hold platforms. The towers are designed with a kiosk in the lower levels, allowing visitors to buy snacks and beverages before the ascent. More extraordinary picnic tables in our blog.

#BeOpenDESIGN Home Studyo, a Belgium-based design brand founded by Mathieu Van Damme of Case Studyo and Esther Noben of Toykyo, has created a collection of ceramic homeware inspired by inflatable objects. The first glance at the vases, pitchers, and planters forming the Blow Up collection might leave you believing they are filled with helium, but the pieces are actually handcrafted from clay in Portugal. The joyful, bouncy items are available in five vivid colours and impress with the careful detailing of apparently puckered plastic seams. More exceptional vases in our blog.

#BeOpenNEWS BE OPEN congratulates the winners of Design Your Climate Action: international competition for young creatives focused on the United Nations’ SDG#13. The Public Vote prize of €2,000 goes to Tshepiso Motau, Tsebo Mokwena and Bongeka Buthelezi, students of Industrial Design at University of Johannesburg, South Africa, for the Swiftguard Early Flood Warning System project. It is a revolutionary integrated communication system designed to provide early flood warnings. The Founder’s Choice prize of €3,000 is awarded to Emilia Ziolek, a Product Design and Technology student from University of Limerick, Ireland, for the Tidal Energy Turbine Form Redesign with Biomimicry concept. Emilia was recently selected the winner of the Third Prize according to the scores by the international jury. It is the first time that one participant receives two prizes in the competition.