Home Harmony
Benjamin Hubert of experience design agency LAYER has designed Connectivity Concept, a concept for a family of smart telecom products in collaboration with Deutsche Telekom Design with a sensitive visual language that complements home interiors. The collection comprises six products – a router, mesh repeater, set-top box/soundbar with webcam, set-top box, and remote. Each device features gentle geometric forms, discreet interfaces, and is crafted from tactile materials that take inspiration from residential interior design. The concept will launch at MilanDesign Week 2022 and will be showcased in an immersive installation, also designed by LAYER.
A Connected Family
Connectivity Concept is an eclectic family of six connected products for Deutsche Telekom, the largest telecommunications provider in Europe. The collection is the most recent in a series of projects from LAYER that challenges the conventional design language and materiality of technology to define a new vision for unobtrusive smart devices in the home. Other projects from the studio to embrace this approach include the award-winningBeosound Emerge and Beosound Balance speakers for Bang & Olufsen.Router – An Elegant StanceThe router features a clean silhouette with an angled, mirrored face that disguises the interface and reflects the surrounding environment. To ensure an uncluttered surface, the cable ports are on an external adaptor that can be hidden out of sight. This considered reduction of form echoes the simple functionality of the product. When activated, the interface uses conversational language that avoids jargon, building a relationship between the product and the user. A USB-C port and flush WPS refresh button are located on the back of the product, and a subtle brand mark is etched onto the mirrored front surface.
Mesh Repeater – A Welcoming Presence
The router can be connected to up to five mesh-capable repeaters to deliver internet reception to every corner of the home. The mesh repeater is crafted from timber and has a welcoming presence, with a dished face and softly rounded shell. With a single tap, useful information is displayed on the front surface via an LED matrix. The device has a removable stand so it can either sit on a surface or be attached to the wall.
Set-top Box/Soundbar – Elemental Geometry
The set-top box/soundbar is an all-in-one media hub that connects to the user’s television and offers high-quality audio output and access to video streaming media. Its materiality is inspired by handcrafted ceramics, and – like the router and mesh repeater – the discreet interface disappears when not in use. A separate webcam module can be nested into the curved top surface of the soundbar to increase functionality, and face tracking will automatically adjust the angle and height of the camera when it is in use. A sliding cover ensures privacy when the webcam is not in use.
Set-Top Box – Purity of Form
The set-top box is a small device that connects to the TV and offers access to streaming media. The lack of conventional high-tech detailing and the discreet, rounded form that evokes an objet d’art allows it to sit unobtrusively in the home. A glow is emitted from beneath when it is on and this changes colour or gently pulses to indicate the status
Remote – Refreshingly Smart
The set-top box and soundbar are both controlled by a smart remote that streamlines user interaction. The precisely weighted remote self balances when it is placed on a surface, allowing it to be easily picked up, and the large capacitive trackpad gives maximum control when navigating various streaming apps.
Material Authenticity
The materiality of Connectivity Concept takes inspiration from homewares, elevating the smart devices and allowing them to take pride of their place in the home environment. The material palette includes natural timber carved into gently rounded forms, ceramic-like finishes, gleaming brushed metal, natural textiles, and sleek mirrored surfaces – all combined in unusual and unexpected ways. The discreet interfaces place the focus on materiality and help the objects to seamlessly blend into the interior space, while also creating moments of joy and surprise as they are revealed.
