Portable Theater concept combines projector and speaker in a unique shape

Home projectors are becoming more popular these days as more cord-cutters want to enjoy the freedom of streaming from almost anywhere in the house, even on the ceiling while lying in bed. Despite the growing number of these devices, however, most of them still have designs that originated from projectors made for professional use in board rooms and conferences. There are, of course, a few that have embraced more stylish aesthetics that try to match your living room’s decor, but these often still retain the boxy shapes of their ancestors. That might be a convenient form for cramming electronics, but they limit the potential of what these home appliances can do. This concept design, for example, eschews that traditional box and embraces an unconventional form that lets you tilt the projector’s angle without having to use stands or tripods.

Designer: Hana Belassi

Boxes are the most convenient shape for most electronic devices because you can easily cram so many components inside and arrange them in an efficient manner. They’re not the most visually interesting, though, no matter how much you cover them in premium materials like glass, leather, or fabric. The most common smart home projectors, however, still have that same basic design, which also puts limits on their functionality. Tilting the projector to the angle you want isn’t easy, and you either have to make do with short, built-in legs or have a tripod or stand nearby.

TRIPO is a concept design for a smart portable theater device that employs an odd shape of a rather thick disc that tapers toward the top. On its back are four flat sections that allow you to stand the projector upright or tilt it back in three angles, including 90 degrees to project your content on a ceiling. Because it operates wirelessly, you can achieve this without even having to get up from your couch or bed, providing the utmost convenience and comfort in any situation.

That’s not the only thing that makes the TRIPO concept special, of course. Every inch of the device was intentionally designed to blend well with other pieces of your home decor, from using fabric to minimalist design elements. Vents are well hidden underneath the fabric-covered discs on both sides, providing heat dissipation that doesn’t ruin the design. It isn’t all just looks either because the portable theater is intended to be a powerful yet convenient smart entertainment system, both at home and even outdoors. An ingenious sliding cover, for example, protects the buttons and the lenses during travel.

TRIPO can also function as a simple Bluetooth speaker for those times when you want to listen but not watch. And when not in use, it can almost stand as a piece of sculptural art, calling attention to itself without being overbearing and perfectly fitting with your lifestyle as well as your aesthetic tastes. There might be some compromises in terms of specs given today’s hardware options, but it will only be a matter of time before designs such as these become the norm rather than the exception.