Bang & Olufsen has unveiled Beovision Harmony, a discreet piece of furniture that transforms into an impressive entertainment center, at the 2019 Salone del Mobile Milan. In standby mode, the 77-inch OLED screen is positioned close to the floor, partially covered by the state-of-the-art speaker system-thus hiding in plain sight.
When switched on, the oak and aluminum front covers fan out in one seamless motion-like a butterfly opening its wings-while the television rises to the perfect viewing height. Turn off the TV, and the finely choreographed sequence plays out in reverse.
"Pristine picture performance combined with truly immersive sound ensures a mesmerizing viewing experience. But the presence of a big screen is rarely a welcoming addition to living spaces," said John Mollanger, Bang & Olufsen's Executive Vice President of Brand and Markets. "With Beovision Harmony, we wanted to create a meaningful object for interior that reduces the visual presence of the TV and transforms it into something that people will develop an emotional attachment to."
The concept behind Beovision Harmony builds on some of Bang & Olufsen's most cherished products. The Capri series, introduced in 1959, was designed to fully integrate with the living room. Hence the TV was built in teak, which was the preferred wood for furniture at the time. The 1964 Beovision Capri 611 FM SJ TV integrated both a TV and a radio into a single cabinet, allowing people to hide the electronics completely when not in use.
"We have been sharing an obsessive passion for almost 100 years, and it has been a mission of ours to perfect the techniques used to reproduce sound and vision and to embody it in a design that people are proud to have in their homes," Mollanger added. "Wood has always been an important aspect of Nordic architecture and furniture design because of its individual character, robustness and versatility, and we are proud to carry this forward in our Beovision Harmony."
The Beovision Harmony will be available in Bang & Olufsen stores beginning in October 2019. Options for personalization will include a choice of oak and aluminum front panels or Grey Melange two-tone fabric with aluminum front panels, and two placement options: freestanding or wall-mounted.
