The Ohmen 1 project, developed by designer Harry Baker as part of his Master’s degree in Product Design Engineering at the Glasgow School of Art, has chosen Rice Tab as the primary material for an innovative loudspeaker system designed according to the principles of the circular economy.
The project set out to demonstrate that high-performance acoustic products can be developed without compromising on responsible material selection, manufacturing processes or product lifecycle.
To achieve this, Harry Baker selected Rice Tab, BIRDMIND’s circular technical board made from rice husks. The material is formaldehyde-free and manufactured through a resource-efficient process with zero water consumption and powered by 100% renewable energy.
In addition to meeting the structural stability and CNC machining requirements essential for acoustic enclosures, Rice Tab enabled the development of a fully modular, repairable loudspeaker assembled using mechanical fixings instead of adhesives. This approach makes the product easy to repair, upgrade and recycle at the end of its useful life.
As part of the project, comparative testing was also carried out against MDF to evaluate the material’s structural and acoustic performance. The results highlighted Rice Tab’s potential for applications where acoustic performance plays a critical role.
Beyond the loudspeaker itself, Ohmen 1 demonstrates the versatility of Rice Tab and its ability to expand into applications far beyond architecture, interior design and retail.
At BIRDMIND, we believe that innovation is driven by collaboration. Working alongside designers, researchers and manufacturers allows us to explore new possibilities for circular materials and continuously expand the range of applications for Rice Tab.
Projects such as Ohmen 1 reinforce our commitment to developing circular materials capable of meeting today’s technical demands while helping shape the design solutions of tomorrow.
