Bachelor final project
February 2013 - July 2013
Company: Bentley Europe
Best studio project - chosen by Bentley Europe
Mezzoforte Bianco
An acoustic solution to amplify your music and store your personal belongings in every hotel room
Mezzoforte Bianco, two Italian words meaning "moderately loud" and "white" respectively. The name refers to the color of the product and its purpose to amplify the sound of mobile devices.
This project was done for the company Bentley Europe, a company that develops products for the hotel branch. They became a well-known brand in 1985, with the release of their trouser press. Nowadays, Bentley Europe product portfolio ranges from beds to water boilers, all specially designed for hotel rooms.
The goal of this project was to develop a new product that would fit within small hotel rooms, with a focus on 'relaxation' for hotel guests.
Develop a product that fits within a small hotel room, that supports hotel guests to play their own music
- Design goal
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Trends
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The hotel sector has changed a lot during the last couple of decades. Smaller hotel rooms and the importance of sustainability are two examples trends that have grown over the past couple of years. Hotel guests also changed their behavior, bringing more electronic devices with them and demanding a higher level of comfort and facilities around the hotel.
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Design
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These shifts in behavior and requirements are all taken into account while designing the Mezzoforte Bianco. Its minimalistic design fits within every hotel room and offers extra comfort to hotel guests with the least amount of resources, Its sleek design does not only provides room to store your belongings, but also functions to acoustically amplify the music played from mobile devices.
Next to the functional aspect of the Mezzoforte Bianco's design, the form giving and use of materials is also based on the interior design of hotel rooms and Bentley Europe's current product portfolio.
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Benefits
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Mezzoforte Bianco consists only out of 2 components, a beech wooden base and ABS bowl. Manufacturing and transportation costs are therefore relatively low, making the product inexpensive and attractive for hotels to buy. Besides, the product is very sustainable, compared to electronic speakers, since it does not require an external power source.
Conclusion
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From over 20 projects for Bentley Europe, the Mezzoforte Bianco was awarded as the best design by the company itself. The product was considered to be taken into production, yet the lack of interest from the hotel sector lead to the discontinuation of the project.
© Max Tak, 2015
