THE INNOVATION

TECHNOLOGY AS ART

Gone are the days of hiding your television in a cabinet. The hottest launches in the tech world are functional works of art. Spotted at the Milan furniture fair, Samsung’s Yves Béhar-designed ‘The Frame’ TV (above; samsung.com/uk/the-frame) and Bang & Olufsen’s ‘Beosound Shape’ sound system ( below, from £3,400; bang-olufsen.com) could take pride of place in any home.

Swiss designer Béhar’s television turns into an ultra-modern canvas when not in use – light sensors in the frame automatically adjust the screen’s brightness so that the picture appears to be printed on paper. The effect is that the screen simply blends in with other artworks on your wall. As Béhar says, ‘once it is up, you really can’t tell it’s there’. There’s a selection of frames to suit the style of your room, including oak and walnut finishes.

Meanwhile, the ‘Beosound Shape’ by Bang & Olufsen looks like an avant-garde sculpture and is constructed using wireless speaker tiles (a minimum of six are required) covered in fabric from Danish brand Kvadrat. There’s even an online tool that helps you design patterns for your wall that will create the optimum acoustic effect.