Serene Hana Nui: Mea Hoʻomaʻemaʻe Walaʻau by Kyudo Lee

Serene Hana Nui: Mea Hoʻomaʻemaʻe Walaʻau by Kyudo Lee is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Keleawe in Hoʻolālā Kukui a me Lako Kukui Competition Category.

KeleaweKukui· 2026

Serene Hana Nui: Mea Hoʻomaʻemaʻe Walaʻau

by Kyudo Lee

Client: Kyudo Lee

A' Design Award Keleawe Winner in Kukui Category

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Verified Award Winner

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The Design

About Serene Hana Nui: Mea Hoʻomaʻemaʻe Walaʻau

Kikokikona Puke: ʻO ka Serene Noise Purifier he pale lumi leo ʻeleu e hōʻemi ana i ka haumia walaʻau o ke kūlanakauhale a hiki i 30 mau decibel. Hoʻohana ʻo ia i ka ʻenehana mea hoʻoleo kiʻiʻoniʻoni lahilahi piezoelectric i kūkulu ʻia ma MIT, i hoʻohui ʻia i loko o kahi membrane lole PET hana hou maʻalahi. Ke hana nei e like me he mea hoʻokuʻu leo huli, hoʻomaʻemaʻe ikaika ia i nā alapine e hoʻāla ana i ke koʻikoʻi. Hōʻike ka hoʻolālā i kahi kumu māmane paʻa a me ke kia lāʻau, i hoʻoulu ʻia e ka hoʻolālā hale kuʻuna Korea, e hāʻawi ana i kahi nani minimalist. Hoʻololi kēia mea hana hou i ka ʻoluʻolu leo i mea koʻikoʻi o ke olakino o ke kaiapuni.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Keleawe

Ua lanakila ka hoʻolālā Serene Hana Nui: Mea Hoʻomaʻemaʻe Walaʻau i ka A' Design Award Keleawe, he ʻike hoʻohanohano nui loa i hāʻawi ʻia i nā hoʻolālā kūʻokoʻa i ʻike ʻia ma o ka hana noʻeau, ka akamai a me ka makakoho. He mau hana mākaukau a hana noʻeau kupaianaha nā lanakila Keleawe e hōʻoia ana i ka ʻike nui, ka noʻonoʻo a me ka maʻalea o kā lākou poʻe hoʻolālā. Manaʻo ʻia ʻo ka hoʻolālā Serene Hana Nui: Mea Hoʻomaʻemaʻe Walaʻau he mea i mahalo nui ʻia, hoʻohiwahiwa ʻia a aloha ʻia, he ʻoihana a hou loa. ʻO kēia hoʻolālā i lanakila i ka A' Design Award Keleawe e hoʻohui ana i nā hana maikaʻi loa o ka hana noʻeau, ka ʻepekema, ka hoʻolālā a me ka ʻenehana, a maikaʻi no kona nānā ʻana i nā kikoʻī. Hoʻokō maikaʻi ka hoʻolālā Serene Hana Nui: Mea Hoʻomaʻemaʻe Walaʻau i nā pono, hoʻopā i ka makemake, hoʻohiwahiwa i nā manaʻo a huki i ka makemake e ʻike.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: To support UN sustainable goals for health and cities, this project protects urbanites from severe noise. An acoustic noise purifier uses MIT's thin speaker technology to neutralize city sounds via a flexible, noise-canceling membrane. Integrated ambient lighting reduces eye strain, complementing this acoustic sanctuary. It transforms spaces into a personal silence retreat, a quiet, protected zone to rest and enjoy daily leisure free from stress.
Dimensions & Packaging: The device utilizes MIT’s ultra-thin flexible speaker technology. A piezoelectric thin film is sandwiched between acoustic fabrics made from recycled PET. Micro-microphones detect urban low-frequency noise, triggering the active film to emit anti-phase sound waves to neutralize it. This allows a complex active noise cancellation system to be manufactured as a lightweight, flexible, and sustainable home appliance.
Tags: active noise cancellation, acoustic appliance, noise purifier, urban wellness, paper-thin speaker, soundscape control, minimalist screen, silence retreat, health and well-being, sustainable interior
Production Technology: The device utilizes MIT’s ultra-thin flexible speaker technology. A piezoelectric thin film is sandwiched between premium acoustic fabrics from recycled PET. Micro-microphones detect urban low-frequency noise, triggering the active film to emit anti-phase sound waves to neutralize it. This allows a complex active noise cancellation system to be manufactured as a lightweight, flexible, and sustainable home appliance.
Design Challenge: The primary challenge involved translating MIT's lab-grade piezoelectric speaker technology into a consumer-ready home appliance. Integrating complex electronics into flexible recycled fabrics without compromising the 30dB active noise cancellation performance required precise engineering. Furthermore, shifting from traditional noise masking methods, such as white noise machines, to spatial noise purification required redefining how users approach acoustic privacy in dense urban spaces.
Research: The project applied research to mitigate urban noise linked to cardiovascular issues and hearing loss. The methodology included acoustic testing with sound meters and interviews with 20 apartment residents. Results indicated that traditional dividers are ineffective, and continuous white noise machines can exacerbate hearing strain. The key insight was applying MIT's thin speaker technology to a physical membrane, achieving a 30dB noise reduction. This approach impacts society by replacing auditory masking with active acoustic wellness in interior environments.
Inspiration: The inspiration stems from the limitation of traditional room dividers. While they provide visual privacy, they are ineffective against urban noise. The goal was to design an acoustic curtain. Inspired by how physical boundaries block wind, the project utilizes MIT's paper-thin speakers to materialize an invisible element, silence. It translates the intangible problem of acoustic stress into a tangible, elegant interior element, actively cultivating a boundary for personal wellness in dense, chaotic cities.
Project Duration: Developed over a 16-week research and prototyping period as a Master's thesis project. The process resulted in a physical prototype, which was officially exhibited at Milan Design Week in April 2023. This global showcase validated both its aesthetic design and technical feasibility to the public.
Operation Flow: A heavy marble base provides structural stability and features a toe-tap power indicator for intuitive, ergonomic activation. To eliminate bending, the top of the stand integrates dual sliders for noise cancellation intensity and ambient lighting, ideal for night reading or screen use. This thoughtful separation of controls—foot-tap for power, fingertip for precise environmental tuning—allows users to orchestrate a perfect audiovisual sanctuary effortlessly while standing.
Patents: This project is the original intellectual property of Kyudo Lee. All rights are reserved under international copyright law. The unique concept, technical integration, and industrial design are currently under review for potential patent protection.
Team Members: Kyudo Lee - Personal Project
Image Credits: All 3D renderings, product photography, and presentation media are produced by Kyudo Lee. Milan Design Week exhibition photography is credited to Kyudo Lee.