Audio speakers were once considered luxury items, so people treated them with affection and care. And when their precious speakers broke, they often took them to repair shops. Over time, such devices have become more affordable and compact. People these days own one or more speakers at home, so when they get damaged, many would probably not care about having them fixed. Tossing them away and buying a new one may be easier to do. That’s what got a designer working on this conceptual speaker, which could “easily be replicated by anyone.”
Designer: AROMAL TR
There are plenty of modern choices available in the market, ready with the advancements technology can offer. However, some get easily broken and are not easily repairable. The BRICK Speaker is a concept that shows how a standard audio device can be customizable, repairable, and sustainable at the same time.
The BRICK Speaker uses only a few materials: engineered bamboo, laser-cut MDF, and the plasma-cut mild steel. The speaker grille, aka the mesh, is painted white. Both sides of the case feature the steel element as covers for the woofer and other drivers. The front part comes with diagonal slots of different sizes that run parallel to each other.
The material of choice for mesh has a particular reason. The metal speaker mesh can be attached to the case, which houses eight magnets – one magnet for each corner, front and back – without any screw or adhesive. This easy mounting system gives you the allow to swap the speaker mesh to change the look of the speaker. The designer believes the speaker mesh is the defining piece of design and wanted to give the freedom to play with the mesh pattern and color.
The name Brick Speaker suggests the brick shape of the device. The rectangular shape is slightly sliced off on the two opposing corners for a design twist. One corner, particularly the part that connects the front and back steels, holds a long strap for easy carrying. On one side, there is a round nob, most likely for controlling the volume.
The BRICK Speaker offers a minimal and industrial design vibe, but the bamboo case adds a touch of warmth. The beautiful contrast between natural and inorganic metal is pleasing to the eyes. What this device demonstrates, as intended by the designer, is that you don’t have to throw gadgets right away. Instead, with creativity and basic crafting skills, you can refurbish a broken speaker.
