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This stack of shipping containers by LOT-EK could become the nomadic coworking office of the future

This stack of shipping containers by LOT-EK could become the nomadic coworking office of the future

The future of the mobile office is on its way, and it’s blurring the lines between the home and the workplace. Spacious is the name of a “coworking hotel” concept being touted by its founder and CEO, Preston Pesek, as the future of the workplace, combining a traditional coworking space, a hotel, and retail into a giant live, work, play experience. And what better way to house the modern nomadic workforce than shipping containers?

New York–based architects at LOT-EK—who designed the coworking space—have built their reputation on living and working inside shipping containers. The firm’s principles, Ada Tolla and Giuseppe Lignano, explained on their website that the modular design is organized around a roughly 50-foot-tall central atrium that “opens to the street with a large glazed opening visually connecting to urban life.” The massive space helps to uncramp the potentially claustrophobic sensation of typing away inside an 8-foot-6-inch tall container all day long.

“The building design is a response to natural human cycles of productivity,” Pesek said in an email. “Sometimes we need social interaction for stimulation, and sometimes we need privacy to be productive. The building offers a spectrum of environments for public engagement and quiet privacy, on demand, as needed.”

Guests can belly up to long, shared desks overlooking the activity of a sort of “public plaza” lined with retail space. Members can also choose a private bedroom/office combo. Each 8-foot-by-40-foot shipping container can hold two bedrooms and bathrooms that convert into offices by folding beds up against the wall. Two shipping containers can be combined to create larger rooms.

Pesek’s promotional website said repurposing shipping containers is a sustainability and financial no-brainer. Each container ranges from $2,800 to $4,000—and diagrams show upwards of 80 would be needed. That cuts down on the cost of raw materials, leaving more room in the budget for sprucing up the interior.

Details on the project’s website let the renderings do most of the talking, but it does explain that Spacious is all about reducing temporally wasted space—and, in turn, bring down real estate prices. “Our daily movements create vacancy gaps in the spaces where we live, work, and play,” the site reads. “Even the densest cities reveal an abundance of available, usable spaces hiding just under the surface.” Members would be able to book the secure hotel rooms—with full hotel amenities—on demand. And if you venture out during the day, you can earn a rebate by loaning your room to others. The larger coworking space would be open to anyone in need of coffee, doughnuts, and some free wifi.

You likely won’t be able to plug into your local Spacious any time soon, however. A location for the New York City flagship has not been announced, and Pesek said it’s too early to disclose details about a timeline. Spacious still plans to ship out its concept to other cities in the future.

[via Motherboard.]

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