Open was born from a conceptual approach that redefines the door handle as an essential architectural element. The project breaks the handle down into its primary functional elements, hub and lever, reducing the use of material to the bare minimum and introducing an interlocking mechanical joint. The result is a contemporary handle with a radical expression, in which structure and function coincide. A rigorous design gesture that interprets the handle as an integral part of the architecture, an expression of transformation, openness and design vision, in line with the research of Rem Koolhaas and the OMA studio.
The simplicity of Opne’s grip also allows for formal customization, with perforations and lightening or coatings that open up to endless formal variations.
— CCTV television station and headquarters, Beijing, China. 2002–ongoing. Ph. Iwan Baan
The name Open aims to emphasize the handle’s customization possibilities thanks to the independence of the two elements, hub and lever.