What is the design concept of Beolab 18?
With the launch of BeoLab 8000 back in 1992, the unique visual expression of a loudspeaker balancing on its sharp point soon became a design classic. BeoLab 8000 was designed by David Lewis, my mentor through the last 20 years, who sadly passed away in 2011. When David Lewis designed BeoLab 8000 back then he was inspired by a musical instrument – an organ pipe that he found on a local flee market.
After BeoLab 8000 had celebrated 20 years in the product portfolio, Bang & Olufsen felt that it was time to redefine the speaker while paying high respect to the iconic design language that BeoLab 8000 through the years had proven to have.
Bang & Olufsen therefore approached me and asked if I was willing to give it a try. I have to admit that it was a difficult decision since I had to work with one of the masterpieces of my highly respected mentor. But I gave it a chance and I have to admit that I now am very happy and proud of the result.
With BeoLab 18 I wished to create a visual aesthetics with a lightness similar to a ballerina balancing on her toes, so the end result should be this delicate organic look combined with robustness in performance. Having the Bang & Olufsen acoustic engineers using the Acoustic Lens for the high-frequencies gave me the freedom to use the lamellas in front of the speaker drivers, something which would otherwise not be possible. The idea behind the lamellas was to create a more poetic and visual expression of the spreading of sound.
In addition I for quite some time had a huge interest in introducing wood into the material language and I thought it was a great occasion to do it here as one of the options, as it underlines the organic look and at the same time links strongly to Scandinavian furniture design traditions.
I feel at ease when surrounded by natural wood and have a passion for precisely carved pieces of wood. I have the habit to collect and bring home a piece of wood or stone, every time I am out travelling. I want to bring that passion to Beolab 18.
Where did the idea for the Beolab 18 design derive from?
I am often looking at all kinds of music instruments for joy and inspiration. Music instruments have a perfect balance of sculptural beauty and functionality.
From brass instruments I found the curvature that would fit to hat I wanted to do with the top and the Acoustic Lens.
From string instruments like Cello and Guitar I found the lines that inspired me to the wooden lamellas.
What was the most difficult point in designing this innovative and creative product?
Apart from trying to get pass this deep respect and humbleness I felt when starting to work with this fantastic iconic design of BeoLab 8000, I must admit that creating the lamellas was a challenge. One thing is to do it on paper; the other thing is to find someone who can actually make it in real life. The proud Danish furniture design traditions that I had in the back of my mind when designing the lamellas were challenged – but they could meet the challenge. The producers of these beautiful wooden lamellas are actually made by hand by a highly esteemed furniture manufacture here in Denmark – this is craftsmanship at its best, which I am sure will be appreciated in Japan with its strong tradition for wood craftsmanship.
Another par that proved quite a challenge was how to make Beolab 18 look slimmer and lighter than Beolab 8000, even though it had to contain much more hardware due to all the new functionality and performance improvement. I had to use all kinds of visual tricks to make it appear as slim as possible.
This kind of struggle between design and engineering is what I find most fascinating and inspiring. When good designers and good engineers work together with the goal of achieving the best, that’s when I am alive as a designer.
Is there any aspect of BeoLab 18 that you want to emphasize most?
I feel that I have reached a design that is highly sculptural not like anything else, yet completely logic when you look at it. Beolab 18 has an iconic design with a strong personality, yet able to melt discretely into the home interior
From the point of view of a designer, what would you say differentiates BeoLab 18 compared to a number of other Speakers?
What strikes most people when they see them are of course the use of wood. Other speakers have been made inside a wooden box, but placing wood in front of the speakers using it an active way like this has to my knowledge not been seen before. And it is of course a huge challenge also to the acoustic team. Making the drivers behind the lamellas semi-visible is also something I find interesting. Until know it has been a choice between completely visible speaker drivers which you often see in professional HiFi-equipment or alternatively completely sealed of driver by the use of speaker cloth.
What is the most important thing of audio system design?
To get the right idea, to find the true identity of the project is always the challenging part but also the most important part. I have to find the unique reason for the object to exist.
I always aim at making the system very flexible and able to fit in everywhere and not force you to change your decor. Technology should obey you, not the opposite. In regards to Beolab 18 you have the possibility of changing the fronts of the speakers to give it different visual expression, currently you see many images where BeoLab 18 has the wooden fronts, but changing it to a black or white front instead gives it a very different look. You also have the possibility of placing it in your living room freestanding on the floor as a sculpture or alternatively hanging it flush with the wall – it is all up to the customer.
Another part that I also see as extremely important when creating a design is to be sure that all issues have been dealt with, from invisible mounting screws, hidden wires to the overall flexibility.
Speakers should, as all objects and furniture for your interior, easily melt into your decor in an unobtrusive way. At the same time it must have a unique identity and personal beauty in itself, not being indifferent.