ROOM has expanded from phone booths to meeting spaces that are purpose-built for focused work and collaboration.
As we are focusing on creative ways to reposition offices to adapt to the new ways of working imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, we are finding manufacturers rising to the occasion with innovative, creative, and easily deployable solutions to meet the demand for a healthy workplace.
ROOM, the startup reshaping the modern workspace, is expanding its product portfolio with a suite of new modular architectural solutions designed to meet the crucial demand for adaptability and flexibility in the office. The Meeting Room, The Open Meeting Room, and The Focus Room are purpose-built for focused work or collaboration, both in-person and virtual, offering a smarter, sustainable, and flexible alternative to fixed construction and traditional office design.
Designed for adaptability, The Meeting Room and The Open Meeting Room can facilitate private one-on-ones, as well as larger connects, collaborative discussions, and videoconferencing, while the Focus Room offers a comfortable, private space to concentrate on the task at hand. Though similar in design to the new Meeting Room, The Open Meeting Room opens up the traditional conference space to a new world of possibilities with an open, airy environment ideal for impromptu brainstorms and discussions. Each solution is more affordable than traditional construction and can be positioned in various places throughout the office, or to an entirely new location as company and employee needs change alongside the global health crisis.
Tell us about your new product offerings.
We are launching three new modular solutions for the workplace. The first, launching on August 25th is The Meeting Room, a thoughtful space for one-on-one conversations and small group discussions.
Also launching the 25th is The Open Meeting Room – A social space for open conversations and new ideas.
How will these meeting space modules impact workplace design?
In the wake of the COVID crisis, companies are searching for ways to bring workers back to the office safely while ensuring that their investments last beyond the pandemic. ROOM is pioneering a future where expensive and wasteful construction is replaced by modular architecture with simple, functional design that fits into any space. ROOM’s prefabricated solutions allow any company to add space-efficient, ready-to-use, meeting rooms to their workplace in a single day, featuring breakthrough design elements to deliver a seamless experience without expensive, distracting office buildouts.
How do these new products support agile and activity – based workplaces that are becoming so prevalent in new and refurbished facilities?
As companies begin to return to the office, employees will need a multitude of environments to work from. There will likely be a lot of people who prefer to continue working outside of the office – be it at home, or from their local coffee shop, etc. so companies will have an added responsibility to make the office more aspirational, more inviting, and psychologically comfortable. Offices should be designed purposefully with adaptive architecture that is flexible to move around and can adapt as company and employee needs change.
ROOM’s long-term goal is to offer solutions that create room for people and empower the worker in the modern workspace. What we’ve brought to market is the ‘privacy in an open office’ concept, and this concept extends far beyond the phone booth. By providing businesses with versatile and flexible solutions that reduce noise and create more space for their employees, ROOM helps businesses of all sizes build a happier, healthier, and more productive workplace.
Can you tell a story or give an example of how this product or service will help our readers design and implement great workplace solutions?
To keep overhead costs down, many companies opt for an open office plan without taking privacy into account, leading to an ultimate misuse of valuable real estate. Conference rooms intended for larger meetings with 10+ people are often occupied by a single staffer, just so they can take a private video-conference in peace or focus on a specific task without distraction. Each of ROOM’s new prefabricated solutions are designed to maximize your real estate and accommodate the changing way people work inside the office, without the need for a hammer and drywall.
With the rise of virtual and remote work, efficient video-conferencing is a necessity and more prominent than ever before. To accommodate this new hybrid way of work and extend collaboration beyond the four walls of the office, Pro models of our Meeting Room and Open Meeting Room feature an integrated Jabra PanaCast 180-degree video conferencing camera, offering a full view of the space without distortion or delay. The PanaCast better replicates the natural dynamics of face-to-face conversation, allowing companies to bridge the gap between in-person and remote workers. We are also introducing Room Sense, our new proprietary client portal that provides companies with real-time data about space utilization and density, empowering employers to make their workspaces as efficient as possible, while simultaneously informing office re-entry phases in a safe and strategic way.
What was the main inspiration for the design of these products?
We designed the meeting room with a simple yet significant purpose: to enrich the modern office through a design that connects people creatively, comfortably, and functionally. Exploring materials that heighten the human senses, we designed a space that not only looks good but that also feels good. Our design is clean, clever and natural, infusing a sense of calm through high-quality materials and simple silhouettes. With a uniquely warm and honest aesthetic we are always striving to design iconic products with unique characteristics that allow for maximum flexibility in the workplace. Our products are functional, tactile, flexible, and designed to last.
What innovations in use of materials or fabrication are utilized in the manufacture of The Meeting Room, The Open Meeting Room and the Focus Room?
There are two color options – light and dark, in addition to several customizable adjustments so that the user is comfortable no matter what type of work they are doing. Additional features you’ll find include:
- Overhead spotlights and ambient lighting to create the perfect atmosphere for focus, collaboration and more
- Along with a user control panel featuring three lighting presets for relation, presentation or meeting, and overhead skylights to provide natural light
- A two-seater sofa is included on both sides, providing a comfortable seat for everyone
- As well as a workstation large enough to fit four laptops
- A motion sensor helps you stay energy efficient
- And silent fans in the roof and air inlets behind the sofas keep the air inside fresh at all times
- Available in our Standard model is a fully equipped whiteboard which moves over a rail for easy access
- While our Pro model features a wooden frame which houses a built-in monitor and camera for seamless video conferencing
- Finally, an Accessories Rail makes room for accessories like hooks and shelves, allowing for personalization of your workspace
Where do you think the installation of this product will be most effective?
We’re helping companies of all sizes define their strategies for returning to work and are leading the way for businesses looking to redesign their workspaces to be configurable, flexible, and healthy for employees.
When will these items be available for specification?
The Meeting Room and The Open Meeting Room are available on August 25 in North America and will begin shipping in November. The Focus Room, a thoughtfully designed private office to maximize focus and productivity, will round out the expanded product suite, coming this Fall. We’ll be launching all three of these products later this year in Europe.
What do you think our readers will love about the product or service?
COVID-19 has undoubtedly changed the way companies will think about office design moving forward – offices are currently scrambling to find solutions that accommodate virtual collaboration, enforce social distancing, and allow for quick configurability as the needs of employees change quickly. At ROOM, we’ve always believed in a future that’s flexible. Our new modular, purpose-built spaces will give businesses the tools they need to create an agile, productive, and inspiring work environment for all. Plus, ROOM ships all products flat-packed directly to businesses for seamless delivery and assembly on-site, allowing companies to shape and reshape their work environment with ease.
What is the cost of The Meeting Room?
The Meeting Room is priced at $15,995 for the standard model and $17,995 for the pro model, while The Open Meeting Room costs $13,995 for standard model and $15,995 for the pro model.
Are there any other unique features that would interest our readers?
We make work, work for our customers.
ROOM’s prefabricated architecture offers a smarter, sustainable, and affordable alternative to traditional construction. We sell direct from factory to business, making extra room in your budget without compromising quality, and ship flat for seamless delivery and assembly. Additionally, all products are portable, so you can easily move them around the office or into your next one.
From design and manufacturing to final delivery and end-user experience, we’ve thought about sustainability every step of the way. By thinking cyclical, we’re not only designing for the way our products are used but the way they’re reused. Leveraging recycled plastic bottles for our soundproofing and giving our products a second life post-use, we’re making more room for the environment.
When and where do you plan to exhibit the product or service?
ROOM’s U.S. showrooms are located in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. While most locations remain closed due to COVID, we invite you to schedule a Virtual Demo with a member of our team. For more information or to book an appointment, click here.
