Oupio's hybrid tech fills the home with light and sound
Guided by Dieter Rams’ Ten Principles of Good Design and the motto ‘own less, do more’, this spherical shell of white opal glass houses two pieces of sensory tech together

Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Thank you for signing up to Wallpaper. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
In 2018, we explored how the home-tech market is shaking things up in a bid to de-tangle and de-clutter the household. Our findings highlighted a shift in interest towards ‘flexi-tech’, multi-functional products making our digital domesticity easier, tidier and, above all else, healthier.
Romanian product designer Vlad Iorgulescu sees the link between technology and wellness fundamental to modern home product design. This relationship lies at the crux of his latest venture, Oupio: the merging of a high fidelity speaker with a smart lamp, optimised to brighten our indoor lives with ‘human-centric’ lighting and quality sound.
‘Since we spend most of our time indoors, we end up relying on artificial lighting to light up our spaces,’ he explains. ‘The ways in which we’ve adapted our lighting ends up confusing our body’s response to light and our circadian rhythms, leading to mood changes, insomnia and tiredness. Oupio is here to fix that.’
Guided by Dieter Rams’ Ten Principles of Good Design and the motto ‘own less, do more’, Iorgulescu housed the two pieces of sensory tech together within a spherical shell of white opal glass, anodized aluminium and wood. Both the visual and sonic experiences on offer can be shaped via a minimal touch interface located around the central speaker ring (change parameters with one finger for sound, two or more for light), which makes moulding the perfect indoor ambience a simple affair.
Both technologies are similarly designed with utility and calm in mind. Twenty high-powered LEDs offer everything between cold, crisp hues to calming mellow yellows on the lighting front, and have been designed to last a minimum of 10,000 hours. On the sonic side of the coin, audio can only be streamed via Bluetooth. Streamlined Balanced Mode Radiator technology and a pair of co-axial drivers offer a frequency range of 65Hz to 20KHz with a fairly loud top volume of around 90dB.
Oupio can be fitted anywhere around the house, either acting as a tabletop companion or providing overhead sound and light when hung from the ceiling. ‘We need hybrid products with mixed functionality,’ states Iorgulescu. ‘By doing this, we declutter our living spaces, have a smaller carbon footprint and pay less while still maintaining the functionality we desire.’
‘We need to find ways of making life indoors better for our health, mood and wellbeing. This is Oupio’s mission and we’re only just beginning.’
INFORMATION
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
-
New London restaurant Pollini opens at Ladbroke Hall with interiors by Vincenzo De Cotiis
Architect Vincenzo De Cotiis and chef Emanuele Pollini create Pollini, Ladbroke Hall's new restaurant
By Malaika Byng Published
-
Terra Carta Design Lab announces second edition
For the Terra Carta Design Lab’s second edition, students and recent alumni are invited to design high-impact, low-cost solutions to address the climate crisis
By Rosa Bertoli Published
-
How to conquer the Atomic City: the story behind U2 at the new Las Vegas Sphere
U2:UV Achtung Baby Live At Sphere redefines the 21st-century rock concert. We spoke to the band and its team about the genesis of this expansive art and music experience that marks the opening of the high-tech venue
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Six new ways of making music, from sonorous start-ups to note-perfect classics
Our music technology round-up showcases six new ways of making music, from a piano designed to blend into the modern home to sophisticated effects units and an all-in-one DJ system
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
ABBA Voyage director Baillie Walsh on songs, sequins, and virtual spaces
Baillie Walsh, the director behind ABBA Voyage, one of the most advanced entertainment spectacles ever, tells Wallpaper* how the magic happens, ABBAtars and all
By Jonathan Bell Last updated
-
MOD Devices’ open-source pedals play a different tune
Berlin-based Mod Devices creates a new generation of multipurpose audio tools
By Jonathan Bell Last updated
-
The Moog Sound Studio brings analogue music creation to life
Moog’s new Sound Studio – a bespoke box of synth delights – is an all-in-one introduction to synthesized musical creation
By Jonathan Bell Last updated
-
Fender looks forwards with a new hybrid guitar design
Justin Norvell, Executive Vice President of Fender Products, discusses the company’s latest product and what it means for the future of guitar
By Jonathan Bell Last updated
-
Nothing unveils a conceptual expression of its radical tech ecosystem
Nothing's Concept 1 earbuds embodies the company’s radical tech ethos
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Georg Jensen and Philips join forces on three-piece technology collection
Scandinavian aesthetics meet Dutch functionality in two portable speakers and a power bank, clad in mirror-polished stainless steel, Kvadrat fabric and brown leather
By TF Chan Last updated
-
Teenage Engineering's OB-4 minimal portable speaker is a mini masterpiece
Inviting the listener to play an active role, the OB-4’s secret weapon, is an endlessly looping digital ‘tape’ that lets you create quirky sonic adaptations
By Jonathan Bell Published