Tag Pod

Modern life carries a ton of environmental and societal stresses, which can easily take a toll on sleep hygiene. Many humans simply don’t get enough sleep at night – so much so, that the proliferation of sleep deprivation has become a public health crisis. And that’s setting aside the potential issues that one missed night of sleep by one individual can create in just one workplace. This phenomenon isn’t specific to any single region, and is rather a part of the modern human condition that many working adults face on a global scale, which is why, for instance, businesses in Japan and Sweden are installing nap areas into their workplaces en masse.

Whether taking a midday nap is a possible solution for chronic sleep deprivation, or if it’s just a symptom of a greater problem, it’s difficult to deny how comfortable the giraffenap nap pod looks, especially with all that cushioning and padding. It comes in two very distinct themes: the cyber-futuristic “Near Future”-themed Spacia, and the far more organic, wood-laden “Japanese Style”-themed Forest, and both of them are clearly designed for use in public Japanese spaces like offices and other common areas.

Designer: giraffenap

Both giraffenap pod models are designed with four-point cushioning, providing adequate space for the user to rest their feet, knees, butt, and arms (and head) while resting upright. Its internal controls allow for the height of these cushioning points to be adjusted for comfort, and it all looks both private and space-efficient – allowing for a lot of these pods to be placed close to one another in the same space. It’s probably more expensive than the average bed, but this nap pod makes way more sense to place directly in the middle of a public area.

All giraffenap pods are designed to protect the user from (and keep the user asleep through) earthquakes, but what especially separates Spacia apart from Forest is the unique feature set between both units. Spacia is designed for total and complete privacy, and is advertised as having “high soundproofing and fireproofing performance”, while Forest is designed for maximum airflow.

Giraffenap pods are slated to begin shipping out in Japan in December 2023, though it’s unclear when or if they will ship globally after their initial wave.

In the ever-evolving dynamics, we are secluded when it comes to social interactions in the real world. Partly attributed to the overindulgence in mobile devices and hectic work-life. Traveling is the only time when there’s scope for interacting with your loved ones or having the much-needed Me Time in the utmost relaxing environment.

The Kia Pod embraces the work-life balance in perfect harmony with the idea of a concept that is divided into three separate modules. That freedom of multiple modules fused into a vehicle is only feasible in complete autonomy, and we are talking of the possibility once Level 5 autonomy becomes a standard sometime in the future.

Designer: Junseok Park

The idea revolves around a compact mobility design that brings forth a new experience in a monotonous daily routine. This is done with the three separate pods for socializing, working and resting. Junseok imagines a large fleet of such Kia vehicles that permit the user to perform their preferred activities in interaction with others.

Separating into a Work Pod, Meeting Pod and Relaxation Pod – the Kia concept employs movable support wheels to stay in place. In the work mode, the front seat reconfigures into a desk to place the laptop, while the side desk is raised up from the vehicle floor for having a good talk. When it’s time to relax after a long journey, the seats recline for relaxing in peace.

In the normal driving mode, all three separate modules attach autonomously for the next long drive. While there are other similar pod concepts that take relaxation and lounging to another level, in a constricted space, the Kia concept opens another dimension of openness.