Danish design company Openhagen usually specialises in well-crafted guitar accessories. Its newest venture is something a little different. The LightBoks is billed as the ‘ultimate wooden smart projector’, an unusual blend of materiality and function that follows the firm’s established aesthetic and takes the tech up a notch.
Reasoning that practicality dictates that projector systems should be seen even when not in use, the Openhagen team has used their woodworking experience to build a bespoke housing designed to sit happily in any environment. Beautifully crafted from a range of sustainably sourced woods, the compact projector system is minimally styled and designed to stay on show.
There’s nothing remotely old-fashioned about the LightBoks’ innards. Intended as a simple solution for mirroring your smartphone, streaming service, gaming device or laptop, the projector has support for 4K and the ability to scale from 42 inches to 200 inches. Another key feature is the ability to flip the projector through 90 degrees to create a vertical display – perfect for phone formats – or to place it on its back to throw the image onto a ceiling.
As is common with new devices, the compatibility list is comprehensive. WiFi, AirPlay and Bluetooth are all baked in, as is Netflix and app access. The box itself is built from a variety of woods, including black-stained oak, majestic walnut, and a more classic white oak finish. Openhagen hopes to crowdfund the LightBoks, helping diversify a product genre not exactly known for its aesthetics.
Moving into movie projectors is a long way from Openhagen’s experience as a supplier of wall mounts and stands for guitars and ukuleles. However, it’s a refreshing change to see a layer of analogue craft added to a high-tech mainstay.
LightBoks will soon be live on Kickstarter.com. More information at Openhagen.com, @Openhagen_UnitedKingdom
