Forget working from home… soon, we may all be “working from pod”!
For many people, a daily commute is a faint memory of the pre-COVID world. This is nice for many who now work from home (WFH), but the WFH environment can present its own set of challenges…
One major concern is the lack of concentration or even a lack of connection. But a new concept is hoping to change where and how we work with others… and it could make the WFH life much better.
Bringing WFH to the great outdoors
Agnieszka Białek is a designer and the owner of Krakow-based studio Monolight. One day, she was on a walk along the riverbank during Poland’s lockdown, where she had an unusual idea…
She envisioned a world where remote workers would work in floating “pods” on the river in Krakow.
She named this concept “Enclaves on the Vistula River,” which was inspired by the global WFH situation and the vastness of natural spaces that aren’t being utilized to their full potential.
From that idea sprang the design for 3D-printed structures that would float near Wawel Castle and can be accessed by kayak.
Paddling to the “office”
Image source: Monolight Studio
This series of connected cells, or pods, are anchored to the riverbed. This prevents them from floating away. Even better, they resemble floating water lilies with individual pods acting as “leaves” of the plant.
This helps the structures match the surrounding natural beauty. In addition, the ability to paddle to your “worksite” adds to the sense of seclusion.
Each pod is a private workspace and can be rearranged depending on different locations along the river.
A new way to work
Those who are tired of being cooped up at home can book a pod and work (or relax) in nature while still maintaining social distance guidelines.
Białek stated that “The creative process was guided by ecological values, especially the limitation of degradation of natural ecosystems, allowing the coexistence of nature and architecture. It pays attention to distance and the presence of empty spaces, which will be the ones desired in the post-COVID reality.”
Only time will tell what work will be like in the future. But in the meantime, these pods are a concept that could help people stay focused and connected to the natural world.
Learn more here: https://monolightstudio.com/enclaves-on-vistula-river-co-working-in-pandemic
Header image source: Monolight Studio
Not very good if you need the bathroom