‘Space to Be You’ Winner Demonstrates Flexibility of Privacy Pods

“The entries that came in as a whole, we were all really impressed by them,” Bostok said. “There were a lot of different ideas we’d never even thought of, and it’s really fun seeing that creativity at work and people’s interpretation of the different materials as well as the application in the industry.”

Entries ranged from hospitality applications as bed-and-breakfasts to standalone homeless shelters, which demonstrated how flexible these types of pods can be when creativity is put to the test. But one entry stretched the boundaries of what SnapCab had in mind, Bostok said, and was the uncontested favorite among Instagram voters.

Our congratulations go to Emma Franceschina, a soon-to-be graduate interior design student at Georgia Southern University and the winner of the “Space to Be You” pod design contest from i+s and SnapCab! Her beautifully designed pod, aptly named “Japandi,” blends the modern flair of Scandinavian design with the timeless elegance of Japanese Zen.

“My design is inspired by the Japandi style of interiors, typically, but now it’s a pod,” Franceschina explained. “It’s sort of a blend of the clean and light Scandinavian style with the classical Zen Japanese style—in particular, the wooden beams and the color palette of natural woods are directly drawn from the two styles, as well as keeping everything very simple and neutral. The brown panels were inspired by brown glass and the motif on the glass is reminiscent of sort of ink on paper, which is something that’s very simple, but still very expressive.”

Wooden acoustic beams contrast texturally to cement-esque acoustic panels. The top panels of 3Form glass allow plenty of light, supplemented with an organically shaped pendant on either side of the cushy chair. A range of mixed materials and finishes balance perfectly to form a truly elegant pod solution that’s unlike anything on the market.

“Toying with that Japanese Zen, a very calming space with all of the acoustical paneling, I just wanted you to go in there and kind of just be able to breathe, get a break from a lot of the open plan offices, because this one was particularly designed for the workplace,” Franceschina said. “So many offices now are open plan, so having that little pod where you can just go in and have a moment to your own thoughts” was a driver behind the winning pod’s design.

Franceschina’s award-winning design will be produced by SnapCab and will be on display at theMART in Chicago during NeoCon, June 13-15, 2022, where attendees can experience it firsthand. The Japandi pod will debut at a launch party on Sunday, June 12 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. on the first floor.

To learn more about SnapCab and the “Space to Be You” contest, visit snapcab.com or tune in to the I Hear Design podcast by i+s to hear more of the backstory on the contest and the winning design.