Be Open think tank

Miriam Aust and Sebastian Amelung of German studio Aust&Amelung have designed a series of slewed concrete lightings fixtures with lampshades that look like folded paper. Named Like Paper, the lamps interpret the material in a new context, perceived to look malleable and easy to manipulate. The manufacturing process involves creating various edges, kinks and creases, making each object unique. While some lamps are conceived to shine downwards by dangling from the ceiling, others lay exhausted on the table, the cabinet or the floor and gleam diffused in strange directions. More concrete lighting fixtures in our blog.beopnefuture.com

There are two weeks left to enter ‘Design for Sustainable Cities’, an international student competition by BEOPEN and Cumulus that closes for entries on Jan 31st. Committed to UN’s SDG11, we welcome creative solutions that help tackle issues caused by rapid urbanization. Free entry and the prize money of €12,000. Find details and submit your entry before the deadline at citydesign2020.com

International architecture practice Büro Ole Scheeren Group has designed Duo, two skyscrapers with concave, honeycomb façades in the metropolis of Singapore defined by the spaces they create around them. The pattern gives the towers a strong visual identity, accentuating their shapes, and simultaneously becomes an environmental tool. Its deep hexagonal frames are designed to shade the towers from the sun, while the towers' concave façades should channel the wind to passively cool the public spaces below, fostering oasis-like microclimates within. The taller tower is entirely residential, while the second building accommodates 39 floors of office spaces and a five-star hotel. The project features numerous shops, restaurants, leisure areas, and connection to the adjacent underground MRT subway station, which enhances the bustling beehive-like impression. More honeycomb-patterned façades in our blog.beopenfuture.com

London-based goldsmith and the Royal College of Art graduate Kia Utzon-Frank creates flødeboller sweets inspired by and imitating stone and concrete surfaces. Named KUFpuffs, they are a new take on a classic Danish treat made of soft Italian meringue on a marzipan, wafer or biscuit base covered in chocolate. Inspired by Brutalist architecture, Utzon-Frank has reimagined the sweets encasing them in inedible-looking shells that contrast with their soft marshmallowy center. KUFpuffs come in an array of geometric shapes, mimicking various stone and concrete textures – this is achieved through mixing white chocolate with natural black colourings and ground ingredients, like charcoal, black sesame, and Rice Krispies. What other designs are inspired by concrete’s raw surface? Learn from our blog.beopenfuture.com

Le StandUp by LOEVA is a transparent stand-up paddleboard (SUP) that provides water sports enthusiasts with a way to enjoy the majesty of the underwater environment. Crafted in France with the Altuglas ShieldUp material, a crystal-clear nano-structured acrylic glass, the paddle board is durable and strong enough to resist shocks and scratches when spending extended periods on the water. Enveloped by a carbon case, the overall structure of the board offers stability and lightness at the same time, while a biometric fin generates dynamic propulsion. A double row of LEDs underneath the board is able to create a halo that illuminates depths up to 15 meters in clear waters for a closer look at the aquatic life. Credits: www.loeva.me

Maria Berman and Brad Horn, who run Berman Horn Studio in New York, have built themselves a holiday home in Vinalhaven, an island off the coast of Maine. The residence, titled Little Peek, is composed of three volumes. All the exterior surfaces of the larger main house and a smaller guest cottage, including the roof and doors, are covered with silvery-hued cedar shingles for a uniform look. Between the two volumes, there is a screened patio, which creates a shared exterior room and extends the profile of the roofline to tie the two houses together. More bespoke cedar-clad buildings in our blog.beopenfuture.com

In 2019, BE OPEN and Cumulus joined forces to hold an international competition for students of creative courses of universities and colleges worldwide. The competition ‘Second Life of Things in Design’ became an integral part of Cumulus Green 2020: For A New Circular Economy, and called for ideas that demonstrate a creative, design-oriented take on the problems of sustainability, wiser production and consumption formulated by the United Nations' SDG12. Five winning projects were selected out of a total of 683 submissions from 44 countries. Another international student competition by BEOPEN and Cumulus, ‘Design for Sustainable Cities’, is now open for submissions, with free entry and the prize money of €12,000. Find details at citydesign2020.com

American designer Stefan Gougherty has reimagined a traditional chessboard replacing classic chessmen by minimalist transparent acrylic cubes with negative spaces drilled into them using a milling machine. The cavities are shaped to represent the way the character moves around the board and then painted. For instance, the knight is L-shaped, while the bishop is represented as an angled line because it travels across the board diagonally. More modern approaches to the timeless game design in our blog.beopenfuture.com

As part of the Design for Sustainable Cities international student competition, BE OPEN and Cumulus will award the Safe City Prize of €2000 for the best project aiming to relieve urban life in the context of the pandemic. The entries can be submitted online: citydesign2020.com sChoker by India-based practice Architecture Discipline would make a great entry for the prize. Crafted from carbon fibre, the device is a smart neck brace designed for people with visual and hearing impairment, aiming to help them keep social distancing recommendations. sChoker integrates thermal sensors which identify the infrared radiations emanating from the temperature of those passing by. It will then let the user know if they are at a safe or dangerous distance using either a visual or audio signal depending of a level of proximity. Credits: architecturediscipline.com

Italian architect Francesca Perani has used oriented strand board (OSB) in her renovation project to transform the porch of an Italian house into a flexible 25sqm apartment with plenty of storage space. The use of OSB panels in Urban Cabin provides the tiny residence with a sense of warm comfort, while its fluid continuous pattern makes the space feel bigger, with one texture utilized for floor, walls, all surfaces and objects. The multifunctional furniture pieces are custom-made and include storage areas to make the most of the space. Window boxes double as seats and a long daybed/storage chest, while wardrobes conceal the heating system and washing machine and accommodate a study desk. More interior design using OSB panels in our blog.beopenfuture.com