Be Open think tank

#BeOpenARCH The Cirkelbroen bridge designed by artist Olafur Eliasson spans the Christianshavn canal in Copenhagen, Denmark. Made of five circular platforms, the structure pays homage to the region’s nautical history, with tall posts that take the form of ship masts. The zigzagging design is intended to make pedestrians and cyclists crossing the bridge reduce their speed and take a break. Originally developed as an artistic landmark for the Danish capital and an attempt to rethink public urban spaces, the bridge serves as both a meeting place and vantage point that invites reflection, new views and perspectives.

#BeOpenDESIGN Berlin-based textile and product designer Orsi Orban has upgraded the age-old art of weaving to create MINTA, a modular structure system made of sustainable materials. The unique customizable multi-layered surfaces are created using 3D software and laser cutting and then assembled by hand by interlocking the 2D modules. The potential of the system is nearly endless, with its versatility possible through a range of patterns, sizes, shapes and materials used. The art installation created by Orban for the WORTH partnership project features breathtaking structures made from wooden specialized laminates and textile laminate, which allow for the necessary amount of flexibility and tensile strength.

#BeOpenART Japanese artist and sculptor Koji Kasatani believes that humour is the essence of art, acting as a bridge between the art world and the uninitiated. He creates true-to-life depictions of everyday objects and is particularly known for his incredibly realistic banana-inspired sculptures. Among them, there are busts and other compositions made up of ceramic-and-resin bananas in various states. The artist arranges the fruits or peels in surrealistic form: some strike poses, while others try to imitate the human experience.

#BeOpenDESIGN Aiming to improve new working from home lifestyles, Portuguese designer João Teixeira has chosen to forgo conventional desk drawers and replace them with a sleek and elegant metal stand at the back, perfect to hold books and documents. Reminiscent of the way piano players hold their music notes, the conceptual solution has given the desk its name – Piano. The metal piece can also be used to display flowers, photos, or other personal items, thus acting as a fair substitute for a drawer. The absence of drawers, together with slim profiles and rounded corners, lends the desk a minimal appearance that would look great in any home office setup. More design-minded work-from-home desks in our blog

#BeOpenDESIGN Mexico-city based design studio NOS has collaborated with BioFab company POLYBION to develop the world’s first bio-fabricated bike helmet. The grow-it-yourself helmet is made of hay and mycelium, which makes it 100% compostable. First envisioned for kids, it can also be used by adults as it will continue to grow on the user. In case the helmet breaks, it can always be composted without causing any harm to the environment and grow a new one instead. More amazing mycelium applications in our blog

#BeOpenARCH The building of Science Education Center is almost submerged in the dense bamboo forest of Giant Panda National Park Ya'an in Sichuan, China, with only an upturned arc reminding visitors of its existence. The structure goes upwards near the entrance, hovers to the highest point, and then returns to the ground to form a special three-petal Mobius ring. The shape symbolizes an endless growth of the precious giant panda. In order to express the theme on the façade, the outer skin of the building uses a vertical metal grid curtain wall. The black-and-white gradient, combined with the curved volume, creates an abstracted flexible panda image.

#BeOpenDEIGN China-based HCCH Studio has turned the existing atrium in an office warehouse of a high-tech campus in Shanghai into a coffee and reading space for the staff. The design comprises a series of umbrella-like columns formed by plastic prisms and polycarbonate panels stacked horizontally with edges exposed, which generates a visual effect recalling masonry. The columns are lit from within, which enhances their shiny and floating materiality and futuristic atmosphere and contrasts the black surrounding space.  Illuminated polycarbonate bookshelves are scattered around the place creating an intimate space for reading.

#BeOpenDESIGN Dutch practice Waterstudio.NL has teamed up with a Miami-based shipping company called Arkup to create a yacht, which looks like a luxury floating villa. Powered by solar panels and equipped by a rainwater harvesting system, the overwater villa encompasses a full-fledged self-sustainable eco-resort, which allows fully off-grid living. The livable yacht includes four bedrooms, bathrooms, a giant living space, a spacious kitchen, and a sliding deck all divided between two levels.

#BeOpenARCH Bangkok-based firm Plan Architect has developed a new nurse dormitory building in Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital in Thailand, which is characterized by a signature textural façade of folding balconies. The zigzagging balcony composition helps maintain the privacy of residents, avoiding a direct sightline between the neighboring buildings. The unique façade also allows more sunlight to the area, which is suitable for planting trees and drying clothes according to the needs of the resident. To provide a neater appearance to the façade, perforated sunshades and specially designed railing featuring vertical aluminum fin conceal untidy functional elements, such as drying racks and washing machines.