Silver Homeware Design · 2026
Upcycled Echo Ceramic Speaker
- A' Design Award 2026 Silver Winner in Homeware Design
- Awarded April 15, 2026
- CLIENT: Beihang University
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 17,279
- Verification code E307A17448 · Verify this award
About Upcycled Echo Ceramic Speaker
Upcycled Echo is a series of ceramic smart speakers made from discarded ceramic decals. In Jingdezhen, about 5 percent of ceramic decals are discarded each year. These reclaimed decals are cut, recombined and collaged onto durable porcelain shells, then fired with high precision to protect the surface. Integrated high-fidelity components provide balanced sound, and the speakers connect to smartphones for music playback and voice interaction. The design reduces industrial waste and links ceramic tradition with modern audio technology.
This distinguished collection of ceramic audio speakers represents a thoughtful meditation on the intersection of heritage craft traditions and contemporary technological function, inviting viewers to reconsider the aesthetic potential inherent in everyday domestic objects. The work appears to engage with centuries-old traditions of decorated porcelain production, wherein skilled artisans transformed utilitarian vessels into objects of profound beauty through the application of cobalt blue underglaze painting and overglaze enamel decoration. By housing modern acoustic technology within forms that recall traditional brush pots, tea caddies, and scholarly desk accessories, the designer seems to propose a continuity between past and present material cultures. The decorative programs demonstrate considerable range, from classical auspicious motifs including dragons symbolizing imperial power and cosmic energy, phoenixes representing renewal and feminine grace, and qilin embodying benevolence and good fortune, to more intimate passages featuring Buddhist devotional imagery and scholarly calligraphic inscriptions. The technical accomplishment evident in these surfaces suggests either skilled hand-painting or sophisticated ceramic transfer techniques that faithfully capture the gestural vitality of brush-applied decoration. Particularly noteworthy is the dialogue established between the glossy, light-catching porcelain surfaces and the understated acoustic fabric that crowns each vessel, a material conversation between heritage and modernity that feels neither jarring nor ironic but rather genuinely synthetic. One might consider how these objects transform the experience of listening, inviting contemplation not merely of sound but of the cultural histories embedded within decorative traditions and the possibility of meaningful aesthetic experience within technological function.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- This design transforms discarded ceramic decals into handcrafted HiFi ceramic speakers through artistic collage. By upcycling industrial waste, it reduces environmental impact while creating unique surfaces and strong cultural identity. Integrating durable ceramic craftsmanship with modern acoustic technology, it delivers high-quality sound and meaningful sustainable value.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- 50 x 50 mm x 60 mm
- Tags
- Ceramic Speakers, Smart Audio, HiFi Sound, Upcycled Materials, Sustainability, Jingdezhen Ceramic, Handcrafted Collage, Cultural Heritage, Interactive Design, Eco-friendly Design
- Production Technology
- The speakers are handcrafted from reclaimed ceramic decals, which are cut, recombined, and collaged onto durable porcelain shells. High-precision ceramic firing ensures surface integrity, while integrated HiFi components provide balanced acoustic performance. The process merges traditional ceramic craftsmanship with modern audio engineering, enabling compact, ergonomic, and visually unique speakers that combine sustainability, aesthetics, and functionality.
- Design Challenge
- The main challenge was transforming discarded ceramic decals into functional, aesthetic HiFi speakers. Internally, we balanced tradition, cultural motifs, and modern design. Externally, constraints included industrial waste quality, material durability, and integrating audio technology. Overcoming these required iterative prototyping, precise collage techniques, and collaboration with local artisans to merge craftsmanship, sustainability, and high-quality sound.
- Project Duration
- The project started in April 2025 in Jingdezhen and finished in September 2025 in Jingdezhen.
- Operation Flow
- This is a series of ceramic smart speakers that connect to smartphones, delivering high-fidelity (HiFi) music playback and voice interaction, providing users with a versatile audio experience.
- Research
- This design research is a sustainability-driven, applied study aiming to reduce ceramic decal waste and explore cultural innovation. Using field surveys, interviews with Jingdezhen artisans, and analysis of industrial waste data, we identified that about 5% of decals are discarded annually. Experiments with collage techniques and prototype speakers demonstrated functional, artistic upcycling. The insights show that combining tradition with modern technology can create socially and environmentally responsible products, impacting design, culture, and sustainable business practices.
- Inspiration
- Inspired by Jingdezhen’s ceramic industry, where about 5% of decals are discarded annually, this project transforms waste into artistic HiFi speakers. Recombining and handcrafting motifs merges traditional ceramic heritage with modern design, promoting sustainability, cultural preservation, and playful, meaningful interaction.
- Image Credits
- Image #Main Image: Designer Chao Yang, Upcycled Echo, 2025.
Image #1: Designer Chun Long, Upcycled Echo, 2025.
Image #2: Designer Qiang Sun, Upcycled Echo, 2025.
Image #3: Designer Chao Yang, Upcycled Echo, 2025.
Image #4: Designer Chao Yang, Upcycled Echo, 2025.