'Vivero' recently designed a hood-like dome called the 'Tomoko,' which provides a sense of privacy in open-concept offices. While open-plan office spaces have many advantages, they do not provide much in the way of privacy. Now there are a series of hood-like domes that employees can use to create the illusion of privacy in their office.
The Tomoko was designed by Yuki Abe and his partner Anna Salonen. The hood-like contraption consists of a felt dome that eliminates noise and visual distractions. The device can either be set up on a desk or perched above a chair to provide full head coverage. The device not only boosts concentration, but it also acts as a visual signal to colleagues when someone should not be disturbed. As Abe explains, "The experience is that the outside world disappears."
The Tomoko demonstrates one way that furniture can be adapted to fit contemporary office layouts.
What's Driving This Trend
- Privacy-enhancing Furniture
- Furniture designs that enhance privacy in open-concept offices offer disruptive innovation opportunities in the workplace.
- Personalized Office Enclosures
- The development of customizable, individual office enclosures creates opportunities for disruptive innovation in office design.
- Focused Workstation Solutions
- Designing focused workstations with noise-cancelling features and visual barriers presents disruptive innovation possibilities in office furniture.
Who This Affects Most
- Office Furniture Industry
- The office furniture industry can explore disruptive innovation by developing privacy-enhancing furniture designs for open-concept offices.
- Interior Design Industry
- The interior design industry has opportunities for disruptive innovation by developing personalized office enclosures that enhance privacy in open-concept spaces.
- Workspace Solutions Industry
- The workspace solutions industry can explore disruptive innovation by providing focused workstation solutions that enhance concentration and privacy in open-concept offices.
