For open office workers who need a little ‘me time’.
Hunter Schwarz • September 2024 • FastCompany
Herman Miller has already captured a lot of office floor space with its classic swivel chairs, desks, and bookcases. Now, the iconic brand is catching up to the needs of working in an open office with new work pods.
The furniture manufacturer is releasing what it calls the “Bay Work Pod,” a stylish one-person pod that the company says is designed especially for hybrid work schedules and open floor plans.
The popularity of work pods has followed the rise of open-plan offices, as companies realized their workers need private space for calls and work. The space is dominated by manufacturers like Zenbooth and Room, which sell soundproof booths to do just that.
Herman Miller designed its Bay Work Pod to have an elevated look. The corrugated fabric exterior of the pod has subtly rounded corners. Inside, the company designed the pod’s background and lighting to be flattering on camera, regardless of a person’s skin tone or clothing. There’s a skylight, dimmable lights, a power outlet that also has USB-A and USB-C charging ports, and a discrete, covered fan for ventilation.
The pod isn’t fully soundproof, but “intentionally designed to give users privacy while maintaining a sense of connection with the office,” Noah Schwarz, Herman Miller’s vice president of product design, tells Fast Company. Complete soundproofing would be a beneficial, however, to prevent disruption to colleagues outside the pod, and to ensure privacy to those inside it. Other companies, like Room, offer this functionality.
But otherwise, the pod is in many ways built for the way we work now. With some staff back in the office and others still working remote, a well-designed modern work pod should be attractive from the inside out for the benefit of both in-office aesthetics and Zoom calls.
“Even when working in the office, video calls are still common throughout the day and individuals have also become accustomed to workspaces away from common office activity,” Schwarz says. “Bay Work Pod should feel like you hit pause on the commotion. It provides a short-term focus space, giving a chance to be present for heads-down work or calls.”
Pricing starts at about $14,000 for the standard Bay Work Pod and nearly $18,000 for a roomier Bay Work Pod Pro, which is 22 inches wider and ADA accessible. There are options to customize the pod as well. Consumers can add an LED occupancy indicator for $390 that lights up red when sensors detect the pod is occupied, or a frosted door finish for additional privacy for $1,623 or $1,818, depending on the model.
Herman Miller—which introduced a rebranded identity earlier this yearand mined its past by bringing back its company magazine for a stand-alone issue and releasing vintage posters—says its pods are designed for people to use any ergonomic chair they’d like, but they do have a few recommendations. Schwarz suggets the Aeron, Cosm, Setu, and Sayl.
Resource: https://www.fastcompany.com/91193185/herman-miller-work-pods
