Aurelian | Archframe Design Awards 2021

Aurelian is a luxury headset system designed to break both fashion and consumer electronic trends. Aiming to question the form, function, and social innovation of headphones; Aurelian refuses subjugation into the traditional headphone categories of over ear, on ear, in ear, and on head. Instead, Aurelian introduces a new form: around-head, and seeks to bring back the fashion of the crown. This combined with digital fabrication technologies, allows for fluid forms to be printed in precious metals and durable nylon with dexterity that milled and moulded means could never match.

Gold Winner – Archframe Design Awards 2021
Design Firm – Tiger Guo Design Studio
Project Title – Aurelian
Project Category – Product Design
Status – Built
Architect/Designer – Tiger ChongSheng Guo
Design Team – Tiger Guo Design Studio
Practice – Professional Designer
Country – New Zealand

Aurelian questions the form and function of headphones. In an age of design clone culture, vast industries of products too often look alike one another. The headphone industry is no exception, with an overwhelming majority of headphones being white, plastic, and over-the-head. Aurelian seeks to break this trend, as well as explore the social prestige of affordable luxuries. Aurelian believes there is no reason headphones cannot be a symbol of class or an adornment of occasion.

The headphone components snap lock together via neodymium magnets and can be adjusted by pushing and pulling until it fits just right. To collapse, pull out the gold arches and separate at the middle. To connect, use a device with Bluetooth and connect via the device’s os. Press once on metal faces on sides of device, right outside of ear to play/pause. Press twice for next song. Press once on metal face closer to top of ear to enable microphone. Press and hold to fast forward.

Aurelian comprises of 8mm driver earbuds, with a Bluetooth 4.0 module, and a miniaturized control board coupled with potentiometers triggered by the main golden arch. The frontal ‘crown’ of the design is 3D printed at Shapeways in precious metals such as Gold or Brass. The main housing of the earbuds and electronics is printed in PA12 industrial nylon plastic. Several internal segments are held or reinforced by 5*1mm or 3*3mm neodymium magnets. This in turn allows for a 3-axis system which ensures universal flexibility.