ÄûÃʵ¼º½

Abstract:

This Master of Arts in Contemporary Design thesis, made at Aalto University, School of Arts, Design and Architecture (Department of Design), under the supervision of Professor Simo Puintila, explores the role of industrial design in promoting greater repairability and disassembly of consumer electronic devices, with a focus on portable Bluetooth speakers. The project comes from the field of sustainable product design and addresses challenges related to planned obsolescence, difficulty in maintenance, and the inability to extend product lifecycles through practices accessible to the end user. The research is born from a critical reflection on linear consumption models and the ineffectiveness of current design strategies in responding to environmental and cultural emergencies related to electronic waste. The work draws on personal and academic experience gained at ECAL and Aalto University, in a context where the transition to more responsible design practices is now a shared urgency. The methodology employed combines an in-depth theoretical and critical analysis of the literature (in particular on the concepts of value, durability, circular economy and obsolescence), a series of qualitative interviews with experts from the fields of design, research and innovation, and applied design research. Interviewees include: Innocenzo Rifino, Stéphane Halmaï-Voisard, Mikko Jalas, Maxwell Ashford, Marco Steinberg, Michka Mélo, Marc Laperrouza and Mike Pinder. The interviews mapped a plurality of perspectives on the concept of value, systemic responsibility and the evolving role of designers in the ecological transition. The design process included a comparative analysis of significant brands in the audio market (JBL, SONOS, Marshall and UE Boom), followed by the development of a conceptual prototype: a critical and functional loudspeaker that embodies the principles of disassembly, modularity and open design. The project aims to stimulate reflection on the role of the designer as a systemic mediator between industrial, environmental and social needs. More than a commercial proposal, the prototype represents a concrete vision of a possible paradigm shift. The thesis concludes by emphasising the need for realignment between designers, manufacturers, legislators and consumers, proposing a design model that is no longer oriented towards rapid replacement, but towards a prolonged relationship between object and user, based on the values of transparency, care and responsibility.