Design Talks: The Inspiration Behind PoppinSpaces
Jeff Miller, Poppin’s Head of Design, chats about how PoppinSpaces (our new flexible system of free-standing rooms) came to life. Read on to discover the surprising sources of inspiration, the impact PoppinSpaces will have on the post-Covid workplace, and what makes them different from anything you’ll find in the market.
Q: What was the inspiration behind PoppinSpaces?
A: The original designs for a framed enclosure incorporated wide beams in a flat, horizontal orientation married with transversely oriented vertical columns. From outdoor pavilions and Japanese traditional architecture, we looked at the low slung over-sailing cornices, the seemingly simplistic outlook of rectilinear timber joinery, and the functional use of multi-layered sliding screens. We wanted to develop a large format grid for the wall surfaces that would be both distinctive in character and modular across the geometry of various sized volumes. As the project pivoted to the more disciplined work of a quick-to-market program, some of the more dramatic features were minimized and the austerity of minimal parts was maximized. The grid, however, remains. With its double-square rectangles, stacked in threes to align with the useful heights of standard interiors, it is the basis of PoppinSpaces' patent-pending claims.
Q: How did PoppinSpaces kick off?
A: We wanted to debut PoppinSpaces with a number of variant prototypes at NeoCon 2020. So in late 2019, we got started: Poppin's designers and engineers began to develop and specify the extrusions of a modular framing system that would accommodate a multitude of interlocking panel types. With six months to go, custom dies were ordered, prototype suppliers were engaged, and a site in Chicago was rented to realize an ambitious exhibition. Then, 2020 happened (and we all know how that went). NeoCon and everything else was scrapped, and the PoppinSpaces prototype concept was serendipitously recast as a fast-tracked, market-ready solution—partly of proven framing solutions combined with several customized components. The aim had always been quick-connect and affordable, but addressing new world realities and being ready for sale within a year was suddenly a mandate.
Q: How do you think the design of these meeting spaces impacts the post-Covid workplace (and beyond)?
“...existing offices would also benefit from larger, easy to deploy, turn-key spaces that were more affordable and flexible than constructing rooms within a building.”
A: Based on the success of PoppinPod, we had already secured proof that the office environment was ripe for new modalities of privacy for individuals, one-on-ones, and two-on-two conversations. It followed that existing offices would also benefit from larger, easy to deploy, turn-key spaces that were more affordable and flexible than constructing rooms within a building. That flexibility is in turn what will make Spaces so powerfully appropriate for the new normal. The old normal was full of densely populated, open-plan desking. Now, workers are returning to the office with hybrid schedules of partial work from home. The reliance on so many desks will be relaxed. The preference to semi-enclose the desks that remain will be pronounced, and the leftover space will be available for smaller meeting rooms and distinctive environments of various functionality. Spaces will accommodate all these novel possibilities, and then quickly adapt to others as the new office paradigm evolves further.
PoppinSpaces can be completely customized for an offices by combining configurations, changing panel options, adding doors, and more. More >
Q: What do you think people will love most about this product?
A: PoppinSpaces is between product and architecture, an interactive tool that can democratize the structure of the physical office itself. With really very few parts and only one connector, there are yet many configurations that can be built. The components are so lightweight and intuitive to understand and put together, it's fun—like playing with a child's building toy. The satisfaction of experiencing a room come to life in a matter of minutes empowers any organization to take unprecedented command of its own office layout. As we introduce additional panels, materials, colors, and styles to install within the framework, the potential of the spaces and the possibilities for the user will continue to expand.
Q: What do you think makes the design of PoppinSpaces different from the competition?
A: Many of our competitors make systems to encapsulate space within the office. They are however invariably overwrought, overweight, expensive to buy, costly and timely to construct, and technically inaccessible for the layperson. PoppinSpaces is none of that. Furthermore, like all of Poppin's products, PoppinSpaces is in stock, ready to ship, and transparently priced.