Smart sound solutions for the workplace

From left: Bowers & Wilkins, Bang & Olufsen and Linn.

(Image credit: Jeremias Morandell)

last updated 6 September 2022

Whether it’s perfecting it or avoiding it, sound plays a vital role in our office life.

New sound solutions come in the shape of Bang & Olufsen’s BeoPlay A6: a speaker with integrated music services, it can stream from any device. Eschewing a traditionally cold sound-system look, the A6 is covered in a wool-blend textile specially developed in collaboration with Kvadrat, available in four subtle colours, from grey to blue.

Similarly innovative from a technical and aesthetic point of view is the Series 5 system by Linn: the minimal speakers are covered in a fabric that was acoustically optimised and developed in a variety of shades and patterns. So you can be as minimalist or as flamboyant as you wish. Revisiting a classic, Bowers & Wilkins has developed a completely wireless version of its celebrated Zeppelin speaker, giving a more contemporary technology to a sound classic.

Team with a series of aesthetically flexible wall panels, designed by Barcelona-based design studio Lievore Altherr Molina, that have been engineered to reduce background noise – a visually dynamic solution that will make it far easier to concentrate when working in shared environments.

As originally featured in the November 2015 issue of Wallpaper* (W*200)

INFORMATION

BeoPlay A6, £799, by Bang & Olufsen, www.beoplay.com. Series 5, covered in Slate fabric, from £9,250, by Linn, www.linn.co.uk. Zeppelin Wireless speaker, £500, by Bowers & Wilkins, www.bowers-wilkins.co.uk. Parentesit panels, from £583, by Lievore Altherr Molina, for Arper. ‘Tapet Café Tile’ fabric in charcoal/linen, £59 per m, by Erica Wakerly, www.ericawakerly.co.uk

Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.

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