Each year the world demands more flexibility from each of us. The need to adjust to the constantly changing environment is a great challenge for designers these days. Divided furniture, inclusive furniture, mix-and-match, mobile and flat-packed furniture — many names and many ways to in fact respond to the same urge for sustainability and minimalism, boosted up by an extensive housing crisis. Still, before our furniture gets intelligent enough to transform and fit our needs with the help of AI, let us marvel at some of those smart design decisions.

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The saying “Art for the art’s sake” might as well go further to visiting museums… for the sake of museums. At times the architecture of museum buildings can even rival the art hosted inside. Each of these museums has a spirit and a philosophy of its own, attractive enough to inspire us for a long journey. Here is our list of the museums with the most impressive architecture.

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As the housing crisis becomes a major issue in cities all over the world, architects and artists are pitching in to search for unusual ways to solve this problem. Yet most of the ideas that have already come into reality seem to be more of art projects, speaking the words of urban poetry and bringing cities’ fairy tales to life: houses on roof-tops, in parks, affixed to other buildings walls… Check out the most interesting alternative urban spaces of today.

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It might be the ‘lo’ season for vacation travels in Europe, but not for art connoisseurs. Whether you prefer classical arts, contemporary or surrealist, this autumn in Europe will offer you so much more than rainy weather. Here are the top exhibitions to see in the old world before the Christmas season comes with its crowds and scary prices.

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In a way similar to the “wash me” notes you can find on dirty cars, it is about scrubbing or cleaning the dirt off the surface to make a creative statement. You don’t make any damage to the walls or cars, so it is relatively ‘harmless’ comparing to other forms of street art. There are no toxic materials used — only soap and cleaning tools. But still, the artists sometimes get arrested by the police because it is still considered to be graffiti.

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Urban street installations open up a new dimension in the everyday city reality. They bring the fairy-tale, the magic and sometimes even a hint of madness to public places. It can be found in locations we least expect them to be, or follow the trotted paths of street artists. Either way, they heighten our sense of reality around us and change the way we observe the usual city landscape. Check out those marvelous street installations and get inspired for our Instagram #BEOPENUrbanPattern open call!

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These days underground movements and curb trends are paradoxically becoming more of a mainstream. And guerilla art might be a good example.

Leaving anonymous art pieces in public places, where everyone (or at least the most mindful ones) can see it and, possibly, engage in some action with it, is now becoming a much more powerful creative tool than finding your way through galleries. It started out in 1980’s as a response to the take-over of public spaces by commercial interests. It is not only about installing your art on the streets but also making subtle (or bold) statements, an attempt to change the reality. It can be a graffiti, a sticker and flyer art, notes and bookcrossing, even letters to strangers or some objects installed or left behind. It can be politically motivated, or just poetic or strange. Check out these great examples of guerilla art to find inspiration to take a better look around your city environment… or, maybe, create something alike yourself.

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Dear friends! Let us invite you to take part in our new #BEOPENUrbanPattern open call on Instagram.

Do you have your very favorite place in your city? Do you see the magic beyond the urban bustle? Share your vision of urban patterns with us to connect with other creative spirits around the globe and… to possibly win €300!
Capture urban surfaces and patterns on camera and post it on Instagram with the tag #BEOPENUrbanPattern. And now take a look at a few of marvelous entries we have received by now:

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Innovations tend to be controversial, and always cause a lot of argument in regard to drawing the line between the avant-garde and… the ugly. Urban architecture is a field which gets hit by these arguments the most. Should the new buildings follow the path the older architects have set? Or can the new generations revolutionize the cities with their futuristic statements? Check out these buildings — most controversial, yet, each quite charismatic.

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Spiderwebs, moth wings, bee hives — all those might be ingredients for witch potions, or the major inspiration for technical innovations and the sleekest designs of our times. Take a look at those insect-inspired designs to admire the beauty and utility of Biomimetics.

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