In charge: Induction charger that turns iPhone into objet d’art

Switzerland – Spira is a magnetic, induction-based iPhone charger blurring the lines between artwork and functionality from interactive designer Alice Robbiani.

The charger also serves as a frame and clock, built with a hand-made aesthetic of wood and metal. It is simultaneously beautiful as a wall hanging and in turning the iPhone into an objet d’art.

‘Using the magnetic principle of inductive charging, it frames the mobile, giving it a place of honour in the home atmosphere,’ says the École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne (ECAL) website. When turned sideways the iPhone’s screen becomes the face of a clock, transforming Spira from passive artwork to interactive platform.

Spira comes with a wall-mounted base station and a magnetic case that enables the iPhone to stick to vertical surfaces. When the iPhone is charging, the thermochromic black face begins to disappear, heated by the magnetic energy. This interactive feature enables users to see how far the device has charged, eventually disappearing completely to reveal a series of geometric lines beneath.

Although a one-off project for the moment, Spira provides an intriguing glimpse at the connected home of the future, one in which software, technology and interior design are intertwined as well as integrated.

For more on the the Internet of Things and the integration of technology and craft, read our Everyday Re-enchantment microtrend.