Be Open think tank

#BeOpenARCH To incorporate sustainability into the structure of Som Land hostel on the Chongming Island of Shanghai, China, local design studio RooMoo used recycled old wood boards, wasted red bricks from the original building, tree branches, reed bundles found on the site, bamboo and other locally sourced and discarded materials. Rather than revamping the whole building, the team chose to maintain the original structure’s height. Innovative design strategies were adopted to increase the number of floors without expanding the structure vertically. More design-led hostels in our blog

#BeOpenDESIGN Seung Jin Yang, product designer who lives and works in Seoul, has started his Blowing Series driven by his interest in unexpected shapes of balloons that are randomly defined at time of being blown. The collection includes armchairs, stools, sofas, and dining chairs that are crafted using balloons as base materials. The process begins with balloons being inflated to the desired form and proportion before a resin is poured over to solidify to the structure. The whole process takes about a week to create a single stool. The technique allows the pieces to retain their delicate appearance, with a glossiness that makes them appear almost like blown glass.

#BeOpenDESIGN Zurich-based bag manufacturer Freitag has designed a foldable lightweight rucksack made from the airbag fabric that failed a safety test, used truck tarpaulins, discarded bicycle inner tubes and car seat belts. Named F707 Stratos, the design can be folded to be portable and be used as a messenger bag using an additional strap.

#BeOpenDESIGN Conceptualized by India-based designer Risha Garg, Cue smart ring has been developed to keep track of drinking habits of irresponsible taxi drivers and keep the passengers informed in advance via a connected taxi rental app. The finger-worn gadget tracks the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels by tracking the sweat, for palms and fingers have a large concentration of sweat glands. The data is synchronized with the taxi service provider’s app to keep the passengers informed of the driver’s BAC levels. The ring uses the 0-100 BAC level indicator to display the real-time data concerning the driver’s condition. In case values are above the permissible 30, the app automatically restricts the driver from accepting rides. More functional rings in our blog

#BeOpenARCH When commissioned to add a dining hall to the Ibstock Place School in Roehampton, west London, UK architecture studio Maccreanor Lavington was committed to creating an uplifting and celebratory space that would allow hundreds of pupils to dine simultaneously and have a conversation with those immediately next to them. The competition-winning refectory design is characterized by a striking glue-laminated lattice structure of the vaulted ceilings. The form of the building is designed to moderate the internal environment of the halls without air conditioning. The roof lanterns form a chimney to draw hot, stale air out of the building through high-level louvre windows and allow natural light to flood the spaces below.

#BeOpenARCH Japanese The Bento Architecture design collective – comprising Sekiya Takumi, Oishi Shohei, Iida Eimi, and Sakamoto Shunta – recreates famous Japanese architecture by such architects as Tadao Ando, Sou Fujimoto, and SANAA into new bento experiences. For example, Sou Fujimoto’s Tokyo Apartment, which is a housing complex made up of a series of small houses is reimagined as series of small bento boxes making up one large bento box. The smaller pieces can be stacked and removed to reveal and conceal the food.

#BeOpenARCH Located in the Fragrant Lake of Huanggang City in China, the Sprite Cabin is a getaway home designed by local architectural practice Wiki World. The project comprises two clusters of prefabricated peaked structures surrounded by a bamboo forest. Covered in wooden fish-skin-like shingles on the outside, internally the three hexagonal plans of each cabin feature a bedroom, a living area, and a bathroom respectively. The construction applies laminated wood, while each irregular component and node is designed and customized through digital technology, achieving full assembly on-site.

#BeOpenDESIGN Founded by Sophie de Oliveira Barata, the former design student of the London School of Fashion, The Alternative Limb Project creates artificial limbs that double as art pieces exploring themes of body image, modification, evolution, and transhumanism, whilst promoting positive conversations around disability. The design process is driven by understanding each client’s aesthetic and functional desires, then finding the right partners - specialists in 3D modelling, prostheses, electronics, and other new technologies. To create her eclectic designs, Barata resorts to silicone as a base material, but also works with variations of carbon fibre, 3D-printed brass, and leather. More designer prosthetics in our blog

#BeOpenNEWS BE OPEN Art is happy to announce February 2022 Artist of the Month. Aiming to provide emerging creatives around the globe with an opportunity to be seen by the art world community, every month we invite art enthusiasts to choose the best artist among those featured in our online gallery. This month, our congratulations go to Gohar Gnuni, artist, illustrator and graphic designer from Yerevan, Armenia, whose soul-stirring linotypes gained her a majority of votes from the visitors of our website. We also take the opportunity to applause all the featured artists and thank everyone who voted!

#BeOpenNEWS #BeOpenART With the beginning of 2023, BE OPEN expert community team started selecting those of the artists who best represent the artistic tradition of a certain region. We have started with the Eastern Mediterranean region that includes such countries as Cyprus, Turkey, the Greek Dodecanese islands, and the countries of Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Israel, Jordan and Egypt. Our second candidate to the title of the Regional artist and the 500 euros prize is Yazan Abu Salamah, Palestinian artist who uses a mixture of concrete, pebbles, wires mixed with Lego blocks and drawings. Yazan has been selected the Regional Artist of the month (February) by the highest number of votes of BE OPEN Art online gallery visitors.