kauppi & kauppi designs oval meeting pods that favor acoustics for glimakra of sweden

deeply influenced by the serene atmosphere of forests, swedish studio kauppi & kauppi has designed a new collection of meeting room pods and pavilions that favor acoustics. positioning itself somewhere between architecture and furniture, the ‘buildup’ series is developed by glimakra of sweden, and takes shape as a selection of units characterized by openness, accessibility, and functionality. 

sound-absorbing curtains cover the entrance of the ‘buildup’ pods
all images courtesy of glimakra of sweden, unless stated otherwise

kauppi & kauppi describes the inspiration behind the project as ‘a forest glade, a calm space embraced by trees, where you are happy to stay a while —a muted restful place, which is never completely quiet’. according to the designers, their vision was to create welcoming, comfortable meeting rooms, that neither close in, nor exclude. they wanted the rooms to offer focus but not necessarily total quietness, and to generate ‘interiors that feel natural to share with others’ as they mention. 

‘οur design reflects the long tradition and great knowledge of wood production, textile upholstering and acoustic solutions that characterize glimakra of sweden‘ kauppi & kauppi adds. 

the designers’ vision was to create airy inviting pods, based on openness and accessibility

the first launch of the collection presents three pods of different sizes, along with an open pavilion. more specifically, the series introduces a 10 sqm round room for 4-6 people meetings, a 17m sqm oval room for group meetings of 8-10 people, and a 20 sqm oval room for conference meetings of 12-14 people. the space-dividing open pavilion is well suited for informal touch-down meetings or small gatherings.

the fabric-covered walls offer an equally good sound absorption on both insides & outsides

the fabric-covered walls offer an equally good sound absorption on both the interior and exterior, meaning that the meeting rooms also serve as an effective acoustic solution for their surroundings. the walls’ acoustic task is to reduce reverberation time, rather than to achieve complete silence. as a result, the atmosphere inside the pods is restful and muted, while comfortable sound levels from outside are maintained.

generous entrances without thresholds welcome everyone

the pods feature wide entrances without thresholds – accessible, inclusive, and welcoming for everyone. daylight, or lighting from the surrounding interior, is filtered into the rooms through the wooden roof rafters. to further illuminate the spaces, the sides have been equipped with glare-free LED lighting. if the building where the pods are installed has a sprinkler system, it will function over the pods and pavilions, since the pod roofs are all open beams.

the pods are equipped with writing boards, tailored to fit the curved shape

all ‘buildup’ units have a completely self-supporting construction, which means that no floor, wall or ceiling attachments are necessary. adjustable feet are included to compensate for uneven floors. the pods and pavilions are easy to build, install, and move to a new location if needed. 

a metal plinth serves the need for hidden cable routing and accessible power outlets

the pods take shape as friendly characters, functioning as architectural furniture

the largest oval pod — a space for conference meetings of 12-14 people

a round pod for smaller group meetings of 4-6 people

the space dividing pavilion, well suited for informal meetings

‘buildup’ meeting pods & pavilions first launch includes four shapes
image courtesy of kauppi & kauppi

designers’ sketch
image courtesy of kauppi & kauppi

project info:

name: buildup meeting pods & pavilions
designer: kauppi & kauppi
design team: nina kauppi, johan kauppi
producer: glimakra of sweden
development team: niklas dahlman, kari pylkkönen, anders norling, christian dahlström

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