Beovision Harmony, by Bang & Olufsen, 2019
Today, Bang & Olfusen unveils its latest television design, the Beovision Harmony; a ‘TV experience’ that sculpturally reveals – and then conceals – itself.
Long have interior designers been frustrated by vast, empty TV screens, uncomfortably peering out of otherwise devised space. Pair this with our ever-growing reliance on mobile devices for our viewing habits, there are arguments that the television set is becoming less central to the living room. The TV must adapt, and become a beautiful, cherished object, as well as a functional one, to retain its prized place in our homes.
Bang & Olufsen have been addressing this problem for years, notably with the Beovision Horizon (2016), which comes with a wheel-stand. The Danish sound and vision expert has innovated again with the Beovision Harmony, which offers increased flexibility; and previously unseen unity between technology and furniture design. When the device is turned off, or just playing music, the thin screen rests close to the floor, partially covered by two meticulously crafted oak and aluminium fronts, which house the sound centre. When Beovision Harmony is turned on, the two fronts fan out, and the screen rises to viewing height. Turn off the TV, and the finely choreographed sequence plays out in reverse. The result is an elegant technology camouflage with cinematic flair; when the screen rises, the curtains open at the theatre.
Bang & Olufsen has a long history with TVs. After the Second World War, the Bang & Olufsen factory was quickly rebuilt in time for the company to become part of the global 1950s TV boom. The company's first offering – simply called ‘Television’ – was launched by director Peter Bang and chief engineer Lorens Duus Hansen at an exhibition in 1950. Just ten examples were made of the wooden box, typified by their workmanship, simplicity, and midcentury Nordic expression.
‘It has been a mission of ours to perfect the techniques used to reproduce sound and vision and to embody it in a design that people are proud to have in their homes,' explains John Mollanger, Bang & Olufsen’s executive vice president of brand and markets. ‘Wood has always been an important aspect of Nordic architecture and furniture design because of its individual character, robustness and versatility and we are proud to carry this forward in our Beovision Harmony.'
INFORMATION
Beovision Harmony will be on display at Milan Design Week from 9 – 14 April as part of the exhibition ‘93 years of Magic: a dialogue between past and present’. For more information, visit the Bang & Olufsen website
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