Be Open think tank

#BeOpenARCH As part of his project, which consists in fictional reinterpretations of historical sites, Amey Kandalgaonkar, designer and photographer based between Vancouver and Shanghai, has envisioned a contemporary take on the traditional ages-old rock-cut architecture. The architect reimagines this subtractive method by introducing a second material to cut through the mass of sandstone. Instead of trying to flatten and polish the original organic surface, he inserts sleek concrete slabs into the existing rock. More breathtaking examples of architecture excavated into the rocks in our blog

#BeOpenARCH Sardinia-based practice Mask Architects designed Madre Natura, a sustainable development of the world's first steel 3D printed structure of modular houses located in natural settings. They have developed a brand new steel 3D-printed exoskeleton construction system, which they called Exosteel, that supports and distributes all the functional elements of the building. The architecture is inspired by the work of artist Constantino Nivola, its organic shape blending in with the surrounding scenery, and each module is designed to be expandable and flexible so that it can always suit any location within the mountainous terrain. Since Sardinia is known to have strong winds, the units are designed for wind to pass through using voids on both sides of the structures. The architects designed each building to be self-sustainable and provide enough energy generated from solar and wind to function off-grid.

#BeOpenDESIGN Designer Nikolas Bentel has created architectural drawing toys made entirely out of chalk that take the joy of crating doodles on the sidewalk to a new level. The set consists of three different artistic chalk drawers, each with a special drawing ability giving the user tools to make dots, circles or straight lines, all of which can be used to create original patterns that are geometrically precise. They can be used one at a time or all together to make striking works of art. And it is entertaining too!

#BeOpenDESIGN Intended to replace conventional single-use plastic coffee cups, Take Out Biomass café mug by Seoul-based Ilsangisang Studio responds both to the user’s enjoyment and environment. The design appears as two overlapping cups that overflow with coffee and features a lid with a ten degrees slope that the user can rotate to open and close the drinking slit. In addition, the cup has a double vacuum structure, which keeps the liquid hot without the risk of burned hands.

#BeOpenARCH London-based architects Luca Poian Forms has envisioned a new iconic mosque in Preston, England. Named the Brick Veil Mosque, their winning proposal comprises an oval-shaped building that is simultaneously monolithic and ethereal in appearance. The architecture combines multiple layers of references to Islamic culture and respect to the context. The refined façade is inspired by the veil-like qualities of traditional mashrabiyas, while the minaret tower pays homage to Lancashire’s recognizable cotton mill chimneys.

#BeOpenARCH Designed by Oppenheim Architecture, Desert Rock is a new resort that is going to be built within the local granite mountains as a part of an ambitious eco-tourism development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Indoor and outdoor spaces are located within crevices and caves to minimize solar gain and camouflage the architecture during the day, while at night the 48 villas and 12 hotel rooms excavated within the rock itself glow like small lanterns. Most construction materials will be recycled from the site. Stone will be used for interior and exterior walls and floors, while ground stone and existing sand will be used for concrete aggregate, which is the main building material for the project. More architecture excavated within mountains in our blog

#BeOpenDESIGN Belgium-based practice Two One Design founded by Toine Baert has designed Esc., a semi-enclosed chaise lounge chair that provides highly sensitive people with a secluded resting area in public spaces. Aiming to protect them from overpowering outdoor stimuli, the seating is wrapped in an overhead umbrella-like awning that buffers any noise coming from outside to offer an acoustically, visually, and emotionally quiet hideaway from stressors of mental health. The awning is made from 100% recycled PET felt and can be adjusted to varying positions switching from an open bench to a fully enclosed area for sleeping.

#BeOpenDESIGN Seoul-based designer Joo Ho Young has ordered oriented strand board (OSB) cut from a carpentry shop and used a single cargo strap with ratchets to assemble his cost-effective and sustainable TEMP chair. OSB is very durable and much stronger and more waterproof than plywood, which together with a luggage strap, which can withstand more than 700kg, makes an incredibly sturdy seating solution that can be set up without the use of screws, glue or any hardware. The chair is designed to be enough for the user to take a break in various postures, while the lower part of the seat can be used as a storage space.

#BeOpenNEWS #BeOpenART BE OPEN Art is happy to announce that Tommaso Moretti, a young tattoo artist and illustrator based in Rome, has been voted the Artist of the Month by the visitors of art.beopenfuture.com Aiming to showcase emerging talents, every month we invite people passionate with art to choose the best artist among those exhibited in our online gallery. Congratulations to Tommaso Moretti whose illustrations balancing between the dream world and the hyperreal have gained him a majority of votes in September! We also take the opportunity to applaud all the featured artists and thank everyone who voted.

#BeOpenDESIGN The oversized face shield developed by Japanese brand ZGHYBD looks like a futuristic face gear rather than PPE. Not only it excels at protecting the user’s face from sprays splashes, water droplets, dust, oil and smoke, it is also equipped with UV protection lens for daily eye protection. The ergonomic design makes the shield as easy to use as foldable temple glasses. Besides, it is extremely comfortable and lightweight. Made from polycarbonate materials, it is strong enough to withstand pressure without being deformed or torn. The reusable visor is convenient to carry along in a backpack and suitable for most occasions, including outdoor sports, travel, entertainment and even for indoor use. More extraordinary face shields in our blog