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Teenage Engineering’s 3D Printables Transform IKEA Speakers Into Something Cool

02.10.20 | By
Teenage Engineering’s 3D Printables Transform IKEA Speakers Into Something Cool

IKEA’s spirited Frekvens collection designed in cooperation with Stockholm-based audio geeks Teenage Engineering was already unlike anything out there in the consumer audio category: a limited-edition selection of modular Bluetooth-enabled speakers offering a playful reinterpretation of the boombox in various forms, designed to customize with a selection of add-on components – speakers, lighting, and accessories. Teenage Engineering couldn’t leave well enough alone, and are now offering thirteen additional customization accessories to 3D print gratis, adding an extra level of the practical and occasionally wonderfully weird to the IKEA speaker line.

IKEA speaker 3D customized

The IKEA Frevken speaker and sub, a blank canvas, pre-customization

The Teenage Engineering team designed the IKEA Frekvens hacks for those “that bought a 3D-printer but don’t know what to print” (not an uncommon realization amongst anyone drawn to the promise of print-on-demand prototyping, but left to their own devices to determine its applicability.)

“It is very simple, fun, playful. You will become like a home roadie. Setting up your own sound system and light show. It’s good enough that you can set up a party, that day. People will appreciate that,“ says Jesper Kouthoofd, head of design and founder of Teenage Engineering of the entire line.

variety of printable designs for IKEA speaker

The addition of 3D printable accessories adds to the playful-experimental personality of the audio line, offering those with access to a PLA filament 3D printer the ability to imbue components with an amusing degree of personality in the form of floor stands, handles, wheels, and holders.

Kouthoofd notes these components were born of sketches and concepts eliminated from the final offerings that have made it to IKEA, but ideal as free accessories to permit customers and 3D printer owners the option to playfully dip their toes in product design.

instructions for 3D printables

IKEA speaker handle

instructions for IKEA speaker 3D printables

IKEA speaker stand

Check out the entire IKEA x Teenage Engineering Frekvens Hacks page here.

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.