Dear friends, we are happy to announce the completion of our latest Ranking of Educational Programmes in Architecture and Design, this time the research was dedicated to the academic institutions in Europe. It is the 4th year that BE OPEN Foundation is conducting extensive research of the creative studies curricula. The initiative was launched in 2013, when the Foundation launched the initiative Inside the Academy.  BE OPEN has already mapped educational design programs in North America, in Africa, in South America, and in Asia.

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Acoustic panels can serve so many purposes apart from just reducing noise in a building. They add the color and 3d-texture to wall designs, they serve as space-dividers, they can even be used to encourage creativity! Yet the main purpose of those panels is still to absorb sounds, and it seems there is a great demand for it. These days the need for quiet spaces that give an opportunity for relaxation as well as communication is high, especially in the busy offices. That’s why designers have to account for this extra feature while developing their aesthetical ideas, and give interior space the quality of coziness and intimacy by lowering the noise level.

Here are just a few examples of acoustic panels with an extra twist.

 

Circular whiteboards with fabric covered surfaces were designed by Nendo to serve as office partitions. They can be easily wheeled around the office to encourage creativity. Slots in tables, benches, counters and the floor allow the screens to be held in place. The conceptual office range was made for Japanese furniture manufacturer Kokuyo.

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For decades now the fast-developing technologies have been influencing the form and substance of design education. Finding practical application for the knowledge and skills acquired during the process of learning is crucial for every design student. Yet, quite often even the most prominent schools lack access to manufacturing or engineering opportunities. To tackle this problem design schools around the world are now pairing up with big productions to create prototypes together, which is a great opportunity for students to apply their design skills, and for employers — to hunt the most gifted ones.
The results are impressive, just check out these examples of student-designed furniture!

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