Chopin Residue Primary Function: Chivundikiro cha Albumu ya Nyimbo by Mariusz Szypura is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Mphoto ya Bronze ya A' Design Award in Mapangidwe a Mapaketi Competition Category.
BronzeMapaketi· 2026
Chopin Residue Primary Function: Chivundikiro cha Albumu ya Nyimbo
Client: Black Element Label
Mphoto ya Bronze ya A' Design Award Winner in Mapaketi Category
- 7,049
- Verified Award Winner
- Verify Award Status for #179587
The Design
About Chopin Residue Primary Function: Chivundikiro cha Albumu ya Nyimbo
Book Text: Zojambula zomwe zili m'masamba a albumuyi zikuwonetsa zigawo zazikulu zopangidwa kuchokera ku zinyalala za ulusi zopangidwa pa nthawi ya kudula vinyl pogwiritsa ntchito lathe, chithunzi chenicheni cha mng'alu. Kapangidwe kake kamasamalira phukusi ngati kupititsa patsogolo nyimbo, kuphatikiza phokoso, zinthu, ndi njira mu chinthu chimodzi chenicheni. Albumuyi imatanthauziranso ntchito za Fryderyk Chopin pogwirizana ndi ojambula okhudzana ndi Portishead, Sonic Youth, Battles, Beck, David Bowie, ndi Tortoise.
The Recognition
About the Mphoto ya Bronze ya A' Design Award
Chopin Residue Primary Function: Chivundikiro cha Albumu ya Nyimbo ndi mmodzi mwa opambana a Mphoto ya Bronze ya A' Design Award, kuzindikirika kolemekezeka kwambiri komwe kumaperekedwa kwa mapangidwe abwino kwambiri omwe amaonekera ndi luso lolenga, kuchenjera ndi nzeru zakuthwa. Opambana a Bronze ndi zinthu zaluso kwambiri ndi zolenga modabwitsa zomwe zimatsimikizira zochitika zazikulu, kulingalira ndi kuchenjera kwa opanga awo. Chopin Residue Primary Function: Chivundikiro cha Albumu ya Nyimbo akuyembekezeka kukhala chinthu choyamikiridwa, chosirira ndi chokondedwa, chaukatswiri wapadera ndi chatsopano. Mapangidwe opambana Mphoto ya Bronze ya A' Design Award awa amaphatikiza machitidwe abwino kwambiri a luso, sayansi, kapangidwe ndi ukadaulo ndipo ndi abwino kwambiri chifukwa cha kusamala kwawo zazing'ono. Chopin Residue Primary Function: Chivundikiro cha Albumu ya Nyimbo amakwaniritsa zosowa mokongola, kukhudza zilakolako, kukopa mitima ndi kudzutsa chidwi.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- The cover of Chopin Residue is generated from the album’s core idea: residue as what remains after deconstruction. Created through the same lathe-cut process that produces the sound, the artwork uses vinyl waste as its visual material. Reinterpreting the music of Fryderyk Chopin with artists linked to projects such as Portishead, Sonic Youth, Battles, Beck, David Bowie, and Tortoise, the package becomes a physical extension of the composition, uniting sound, material, and process.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Physical formats include: Vinyl LP sleeve approx. 315 x 315 x 5 mm; CD digipack approx. 142 x 125 x 10 mm; cassette case approx. 110 x 70 x 17 mm. All formats were designed as tactile objects, with dimensions following industry standards to emphasize material presence and consistency across editions.
- Tags
- residue concept, album packaging design, lathe-cut vinyl, material-driven design, experimental music artwork, process-based design, sound as material, physical music object
- Production Technology
- The design was developed through a process-based methodology, treating sound recording as a material practice. Vinyl shavings produced during the lathe-cut process were collected, preserved, and used to create physical artworks. These works were then photographed and translated into the album packaging. The production emphasized minimal intervention, tactile materials, and small-batch manufacturing, allowing process and material to define the visual language.
- Design Challenge
- The main challenge was translating an abstract musical concept into a physical object without illustration or decoration. Internally, this required rethinking historical album design and treating sound production as material practice. Externally, limitations included small-scale manufacturing, legal constraints of physical formats, and the unpredictability of lathe-cut processes. Balancing conceptual clarity with technical constraints required continuous testing and adaptation.
- Research
- Type of Research: practice-based artistic research.
Research Objectives: to translate musical deconstruction into physical form.
Methodology: sound recording treated as a material process.
Data & Tools: lathe-cut vinyl recording, material observation, photography.
Participants: the artist and collaborating musicians.
Results: vinyl residue became visual material.
Insights & Impact: the research links sound, object, and design, showing how production traces can shape meaning in music packaging and contemporary design. - Inspiration
- The project was inspired by the idea of residue as a creative outcome - what remains after a process of reduction and transformation. The design emerged from research into lathe-cut vinyl as a physical recording method, treating sound production as material practice. The motivation was to translate an abstract musical concept into a tangible object, where recording, waste, and form become a unified design language.
- Project Duration
- The project was developed between 2023 and 2025. Music recording and vinyl cutting were carried out during this period, followed by the creation of the visual artworks and packaging design. The album and its physical editions were completed and released in November 2025, accompanied by exhibitions in NY and Osaka and presentations of the related artworks.
- Operation Flow
- The object is experienced by opening, holding, and listening. The package reveals the music while visually showing traces of how it was made. Images and materials guide the user from sound to its physical remains. Interaction is slow and tactile, encouraging attention and reflection. By connecting listening with touch and sight, the object creates a deeper, more memorable experience than a standard album cover.
- Patents
- Copyrights belong to Mariusz Szypura, 2025
- Image Credits
- Image #1: Photo by TAKT, Chopin Residue, 2025.
Image #2: Photo by TAKT, Chopin Residue, 2025.
Image #3: Photo by TAKT, Chopin Residue, 2025.
Image #4: Photo by TAKT, Chopin Residue, 2025.
Image #5: Photo by TAKT, Chopin Residue, 2025.
Video Credits: Concept, Direction, Music, and Visuals by Mariusz Szypura, 2025.
Sponsored
Explore Beyond Designers.org
Discover products, services and opportunities from our advertising partners.
More to Explore
Related Designs
Explore more award-winning designs from the same category, selected by merit.
