Upcycled Echo 陶瓷音箱 by Chao Yang and Yang Xiang

Upcycled Echo 陶瓷音箱 by Chao Yang and Yang Xiang is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award 银奖 in 家居用品设计 Competition Category.

银家居用品· 2026

Upcycled Echo 陶瓷音箱

by Chao Yang and Yang Xiang

Client: Beihang University

A' Design Award 银奖 Winner in 家居用品 Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #181229

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Upcycled Echo 陶瓷音箱

《升级回响》是一系列以废弃陶瓷花纸为原料制作的陶瓷智能音箱。在景德镇,每年约有5%的陶瓷花纸被废弃。这些回收而来的花纸经过裁剪、重组与拼贴,被应用于坚固的瓷质外壳之上,再以高精度烧制工艺加以固化,保护表面效果。内置的高保真元件带来均衡的音质表现,音箱可与智能手机连接,实现音乐播放与语音交互。该设计在减少工业废弃物的同时,将陶瓷传统工艺与现代音频技术相融合。

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award 银奖

Upcycled Echo 陶瓷音箱是 A' Design Award 银奖得主，这是授予顶级、华美而令人印象深刻的设计的极为崇高的认可。银奖得主是极其卓越、极具创造力的作品，展现出其设计师杰出的专业技能、才华与敏锐。预计Upcycled Echo 陶瓷音箱将成为一件出色的典范之作，兼具非凡的专业性与深刻的创新性。这件赢得 A' Design Award 银奖的设计是一项备受瞩目、令人钦佩的发明，造福并拓展艺术、科学、设计和技术的边界。Upcycled Echo 陶瓷音箱是一件令人羡慕的创作，它唤起渴望，带来积极的情感，并激发惊叹与赞叹。

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

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.
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.
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.
Team Members: Designer: Chao Yang
Designer: Yang Xiang
Designer: Qiang Sun
Designer: Chunlong Xiang
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.