Smart Speakers: designed for circularity
Most products are designed for a linear lifecycle, starting with non-renewable resources and ending as waste in landfills. And many of us continue to engage in unsustainable behaviours, such as buying new products when old ones break or do not have the latest features. This linear model is not sustainable, and as resources become scarce and waste accumulates, we must shift to a more circular one.
Worldwide, smart speaker sales are predicted to reach over 400 million by 2025. With so many devices being produced, can we design them to have a lighter impact on the planet? How would they look and function? Using sustainable design principles, there are four unique concepts for the same smart speaker. Each concept challenges and breaks down the incredible diversity of aesthetics and functionalities that can originate from and within the same product as soon as different circular strategies are put under the spotlight.
1. Designed for repair & upgradability
2. Designed for reducing & recycling
3. Designed for remanufacturing
4. Designed for longevity
Speaker #1
Designed for repair & upgradability
A customisable smart-home speaker that evolves and adapts to your changing needs
Say goodbye to the old days of constantly replacing the whole device when just one part breaks or needs updating. The speaker is designed to prevent the creation of new waste and decrease both your and its environmental impact.
Speaker #2
Designed for reducing & recycling
The most sustainable product is one that is never created in the first place
When designing a new product, its whole lifecycle’s impact must be minimised. This speaker focuses on manufacturing for minimal raw material depletion and sustainable end-of-life options.
Speaker #3
Designed for remanufacturing
A smart-home speaker that is easy for you to return and for the manufacturer to refashion
Durable and recyclable materials, like aluminium, characterise the design of the speaker to ensure a long lifespan and retain value. So, when it is no longer possible or desirable to repair or adapt the speaker, its materials can be remanufactured to stay in the speaker’s lifecycle and reduce the overall environmental impact.
Speaker #4
Designed for longevity
A smart-home speaker designed for a maximised use period and longevity to pay off most of its impact within its lifespan
Few things resonate more with caring about the future than designing something to be passed on to the next generations. This speaker is one of those things.
Background
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