Be Open think tank

#BeOpenDESIGN London-based designer Samuel Wilkinson has prototyped a tree-like structure that harvests solar energy while providing a public place to shelter during hot weather. The form has been derived from the shape of the African acacia tree that grows on the savannahs and is characterised by its large canopy that allows it to capture large amounts of sunlight. The power generated by the umbrella-like design can either be used locally, for urban lighting or as a charge point for electric cars, or be fed back into the grid.

#BeOpenARCH Beijing-based architecture practice OPEN has come up with a bespoke design proposal for Shenzhen Maritime Museum intended to raise awareness to the issues of global warming and marine environmental protection. Named the Icebergs and the Sea, the competition entry is one of the three winning schemes chosen by a jury panel from schemes of 15 prominent international architectural teams. Five double-layered glass iceberg-like volumes rising from the subtropical coast house main public programs: lobby, theater, library, and children's education, the sixth Iceberg ‘drifts’ away into the ocean, with an impressive dome theater inside. The in-between zone will be occupied by restored mangrove wetland, a natural protective barrier that also serves as habitat for marine life and migrating birds.

#BeOpenDESIGN South African designer Porky Hefer has created a collection of woven “nests” designed “to be inhabited like a hermit inhabits shells.” The designs are handmade in South Africa using local materials like flexible plants stalks, dried grasses, fabric leaves and rattan panels that wrap around steel frames, and are hung from the ceiling by ropes. Inside, cushioned interiors create sheltered spaces for relaxing or sleeping.

#BeOpenDESIGN London-based company MADE has developed a cat climber that combines a bed and a dynamic game for the pets. Named Kyali, the design comprises a modular structure that features three shelves or levels. The design’s goal is was to provide plenty of space for cats to have fun without taking up too much room. The flexible and space-saving climber keeps the space clutter-free while giving the pets enough surfaces to explore. It is made of walnut wood, which makes it a timeless choice for any interior style, and upholstered in soft fabric that draws your feline friends in for a nap. More feline-friendly furniture in our blog

#BeOpenDESIGN Part tool and part design object, a trio of unique-looking scissors by the Japanese manufacturer Zencix combine multiple uses into one unusually efficient and playful form. The brand’s collection named Trisqucle is comprised of three geometric models - triangle, square, and circle. Aside from cutting things, the accessories can also be used as shape templates with various sizes of circles and as a ruler and compass for three-in-one functionality.

#BeOpenDESIGN Designed by a startup Degreve Inc., Thermonecks is an innovative neckband that cools the user’s body using advanced Thermo Pads, which can freeze in just 10 seconds when submerged in ice water. Unlike ice or ice-cold towels, which can lead to ice burns and skin damage, the system applies different temperatures to different areas of the neck. The lower 14°C temperature is applied to the central cervical spine, while the 20°C level is better for cooling the carotid arteries on the sides of the neck. This helps lower the user’s body temperature in a quick yet comfortable manner. Besides, the device boasts a fashionable design one won’t be ashamed to wear when exercising outdoors on a hot day .

#BeOpenART Shaggy Dogs and Other Fabric Creatures is the latest series by London-based artist Barbara Franc that she made using repurposed vintage textiles, giving them a second life. The sculptures are based on the artist’s own long-legged lurcher, who has modelled for her many times. Franc uses discarded metal wire as the base, suggesting a three-dimensional drawing, which she then covers with recycled materials including her own daughter’s old trousers, a friend’s old curtains, and her grandmother’s old tapestry.

#BeOpenARCH Quebec-based company geoLagon, which specializes in the sale of short-term rental chalets, intends to build the world’s largest geothermal lagoon in Charlevoix, Canada. The project is planned to be completely self-sufficient. A vast thermal reservoir will sit under the lagoon’s base, powered by an energy ecosystem comprised of geothermal, biomass, photovoltaics, and sun heating technologies, the patent for which is now pending. Once the project is completed, clusters of chalets, as well as art galleries, ski resorts, golf facilities, and dining facilities, will encircle the lagoon, using photovoltaic cladding to harness solar energy and assist the water heat pumps.

#BeOpenDESIGN Designer Zhe Gao has developed a lounge chair where the cat and the owner can meditate together without disturbing each other’s space. Aptly named Sharing Joy, the award-winning design incorporates a side table/armrest for humans to rest a notebook or a drink on, and a hollow backrest with a dangling toy for cats to crawl in. The canvas fabric used for the chair’s upholstery can take on a cat’s claws as well as mask any fur they leave behind.

#BeOpenART Netherlands-based Studio Job founded and led by artist Job Smeets has created a curved bronze-and-glass sculpture for Dutch art institute KunstKerk. Dubbed The Embrace, the hand-crafted 13-metre-tall sculpture made out of bronze and pigmented glass has been conceived as a humorous update on traditional stained-glass windows. The final design features two undulating "windows," each housed within the same large, textured bronze frame, that seem to stretch towards each other above a smaller, central window.