Your Next TV Will Cost $20,000—and Have Wings!
At Milan Design Week this past spring, amid the usual sofas, chairs, and tables on view, was an unexpected object making its debut: a television set whose butterfly-wing design is as eye-catching as its $22,500 price tag. Next month, Bang & Olufsen starts shipping the first units of its Beovision Harmony television set, which features a 77-inch OLED thin screen with oak-and-aluminum wings that fan out at the push of a button. We talked to Kresten Bj?rn Krab-Bjerre, creative director at Bang & Olufsen, to get a clearer picture on how the Beovision works—and why it is worth the price.
ELLE Decor: People go to great lengths to hide their TVs. But the Beovision Harmony was designed to be fully on view. Why?
Kresten Bj?rn Krab-Bjerre: The idea is that when the large screen is moved down as far as possible, it disappears out of your primary view and thus appears much less dominant in the room. When the screen is then covered with beautiful crafted wood and aluminum, or fabric and aluminum, it turns into a piece of furniture. In addition to this, you get a sensational experience when the TV is turned on. The beautiful front covers move aside, the screen elevates, and the show begins. We believe this staging is magnificent.
You say the TV is “like a butterfly opening its wings.” How does that work?
The motion of the Beovision Harmony is inspired by the pantomime theater at Tivoli Gardens, a famous amusement park in Copenhagen. The stage there features a mechanical curtain designed to look like a peacock. When the curtain opens, the peacock’s tail unfolds. Designer Torsten Valeur used to work as a fireworks assistant in Tivoli, and he passed this theater every day on his way to work. The metaphor of a butterfly’s wings works equally well to describe this elegant and wonderful unfolding motion.
The design almost harkens back to the early days of television, when sets were encased in fine wood cabinets and provided a focal point for a living room.
We did indeed take inspiration from a series of televisions that Bang & Olufsen produced in the late 1950s, which were housed in beautifully crafted wooden cabinets. In fact, the wooden front covers on the Beovision Harmony are manufactured by the same company that made the wooden cabinets for our televisions in the 1950s and ’60s. Today, the company is run by the two sons of the original owner; it is regarded as one of the best woodworking factories in the world.
This TV comes with a hefty price tag. What makes it worth it?
The Beovision Harmony is designed to provide the ultimate cinematic experience. It combines the leading screen technology with the best sound performance you can get in a TV. It also contains an integrated 7.1 surround-sound processor, and it is operated with an elegant remote control that is crafted from a single piece of solid aluminum. We have created a truly luxurious product. We’ve worked with the best engineers and craftsmen we could find, thereby making every film and music track sound amazing and look stunning.
Electronics usually debut at technology shows, but you chose last spring’s Milan Design Week to launch the Harmony. Why did that setting feel right?
At Bang & Olufsen, we use technology to make people’s lives easier and more joyful. Milan Design Week gave us the opportunity to talk about the concept, the craftsmanship, and the design, rather than focusing on the technology alone.
What design trends are you seeing in electronics for the home?
Now that most people have adapted to the convenience of streaming services, we believe they are in search of higher-fidelity experiences. Consumers no longer accept low-resolution or imperfect content. Their standards have increased. This is great for Bang & Olufsen, because we are always striving to deliver the most extraordinary audiovisual experiences you can imagine.
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