The offices of the future will forgo open cubicles for “responsive” modules that adjust the interior environment the moment you walk in and close the door.
I ventured out of my home office to try out what is considered “the work-from-home killer,” and discovered that the structure was equipped with the latest technology, including the software used in autonomous vehicles.
Upon sitting in the 4G-connected Smart Pod, ventilation started automatically, blowing air through the pod every minute and the lights instantly adjusted based on the surrounding lighting.
While the capsules feature glass linings to provide a window to the outside world, the inside was incredibly quiet – you could hear a pin drop.
Framery, the brains behind the plan to get employees back into the office, is offering several options for staff, from a pod with a single desk to a table that seats four and a larger meeting room for around six employees.
I ventured outside my home office to test out what is considered the “work-from-home killer,” and found that the structure was equipped with the latest technology, including software used in self-driving vehicles.
Framery’s high-tech office modules are advertised as “the ultimate privacy module” (Framery)
More than four million Americans are still working from home at least half of the time years after the pandemic was declared over.
Some companies see remote work as a cost savings (not having to spend money on office space), but others have grown tired of Zoom meetings and Slack messages.
Angela Ferguson, founder of workplace design and strategy firm Futurespace, told NCA NewsWire that more leaders could expect a full-time return to the office this year.
But he said it would be important to motivate, not impose, with creative office renovations and incentives, such as the modules built by Framery.
Samu Hällfors, CEO and founder of Framer, said: ‘The role of an office is no longer simply about providing a place to work.
‘With Smart Pods, we’re helping outdated offices and workspaces adapt to the needs of the people inside them, rather than the other way around.
The intuitive and adaptive technology of ‘Smart Pods’ ensures that people have enough space and comfort to focus and collaborate without compromising anything.’
I opted to try Framery’s Contact, a module that offers a full-size teleconferencing display with a visually and acoustically isolated interior.
And I felt like I was sitting in the room with someone; when I sat down in the capsule and the other person said, “Hi,” I almost jumped out of my skin.
Framery’s high-tech office modules are advertised as “the ultimate privacy module” (Framery)
The pods are equipped with radar sensors and 4G connections (Framery)
High-tech capsules ensure that no one can “eavesdrop” from outside (Framery)
The pod also featured a high-performance cardioid microphone, which is specifically designed to capture sound in front of it and block out anything behind it.
The new Smart Pods include Wi-Fi connectivity, radar sensors that monitor the presence of new visitors, and a patented acoustic structure designed to block human speech from the outside.
Rob adjusts settings inside a capsule (Rob Waugh)
Also inside the closures was Framery’s Office Embedded sound masking system, which blasted ‘pink noise’ (like white noise, but at a lower frequency) into the area around the capsule, so no one could hear what I was saying in my meeting.
There are light switches placed throughout the interior (one for natural light on the ceiling and one at eyebrow level) that are designed to make faces clear and bright on video calls.
And you can use your own laptop or equip the modules with screens and speaker systems.
As soon as I sat down I could feel the room taking on a pleasantly cool temperature because the air conditioning automatically adjusted based on the heat that my own body emitted.
But I was very happy to find that I wasn’t breathing the previous occupant’s air thanks to a feature that expels interior air every 60 seconds.
Sit in one and the pod will display an automatic booking screen, but you can also book in advance directly from Microsoft and Google calendars.
The pods are equipped with radar sensors and 4G connections (Framery)
The pods are equipped with radar sensors and 4G connections (Framery)
Offices that use pods can use Framery’s Connect app to see which pods are used the most and automatically move or delete them.
Office modules have seen a boom since the pandemic, and Framery was the first to manufacture them. Can ‘privacy modules’ persuade young people to change out of their pajamas for a daily commute?
To me, the fact that you can say things inside them without worrying about whether people outside can hear them makes them an instant “sell,” although, like most office pods, they are priced at an eye-watering $4,000 per module…
The cheapest option costs $6,000 for the ROOM phone booth, which has standing room and a small table attached to the wall.
This version is for making private phone calls in a busy office.
The most expensive version is the Focus Room for $19,000, which can fit one employee, but is the same size as a traditional cubicle.