Archinect - News

Apparently modular remote working pods are here to stay

2021-10-22T12:18:00-04:00

With the work-at-home lifestyle likely here to stay, people are taking things outdoors, creating spaces meant for privacy and comfort. [...] More than a year and a half into the pandemic, working from home seems like an increasingly permanent proposition. Nearly 80 percent of business leaders and 70 percent of the general public said people would likely never return to offices at the rate they did before the coronavirus [...]

Isolated working structures as small as 3x6 feet have been cropping up in high-density areas like London where the office and home have switched places, leaving opportunity at both ends for designers and manufacturers to meet the demands of remote workers whilst also providing space to answer cities' pressing need for affordable housing.

“You might find enlightenment or something from working in a tiny space,” one designer told the Times. Examples of the typology offer exciting glimpses into what could be the future of commuting for a large swath of the population. As many as 255 million people could be working remote full-time by the end of the decade.

The New York Times has more on the modular work pod revolution here.

Denizen takes remote working to the next level with 3D-printed office pods

2021-07-08T17:59:00-04:00

Individuals can now take their offices anywhere they want with the Denizen Architype, a 3D-printed, personal office pod, designed to provide an ideal remote work space. The prefabricated office can be set up in any location and is available by subscription.

Designed “for the perfect day of work”, the Denizen Archetype comes as remote work has become the new norm due to the pandemic. The 90-square-foot office pod is made to cultivate inspiration, focus, and productivity, including features, such as professional lighting, controllable privacy glass on every window, and perfectly framed camera views at the desk and whiteboard. As stated on Denizen’s site, “With 10’ ceilings and immersive windows, it’s big enough to love spending your whole day in but small enough to install anywhere with minimal permits.

The office is built with integrated heating, cooling, air filtration, a mini-fridge, and a rear lounge with overhead reading light. Each pod features an adjustable standing desk made ...

Would you work in a floating, remote workspace?

2021-04-06T18:03:00-04:00

Trends involving remote workspaces have heightened since 2020. While businesses worldwide learned to adjust and create remote working spaces that work best for them, architectural designer and graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow, Agnieszka Białek, proposes a workspace alternative that may invite polarizing responses. Her project, Enclaves on Vistula River, was influenced by the altered work environments due to Covid-19 and the transition to remote work.

Image render courtesy of Agnieszka Białek / Monolight Studio

Commenting on the potential for home remote workplace fatigue, Białek explains on her project website the proposed concept "becomes a comfortable place for online meetings or relaxing in the new reality of reduced touch. The design provides protection of personal space and privacy for potential users. In times of social distancing, the workspace "creates a unique comfort zone and sense of security." She claims each remote work module can be booked hourly for use d...