OpenSeed, the startup behind the Iris Pod, launched in 2018 after founder Jonathan Marcoschamer attended a 10-day silent meditation course. He wanted to keep meditating during the day, but was working in an open plan office. "I couldn't find anywhere to meditate," he says. He also wanted to help make meditation more accessible for other people. So he started work on a prototype of a pod that could sit in a larger space.
The exhibit "Past as Prologue: The Last Decade of Furniture Design by Ray and Charles Eames (1968-1978)" focuses on office furniture designed for the white-collar workforce, emphasizing modularity and visual authority.
"We need to think beyond ADA requirements. It's not a particular look - it's making sure you're designing so that everyone feels comfortable, and everyone can feel like their needs are supported and that they have a sense of belonging in that space."
When Chelsea Riggs, CEO of Brooklyn-based haircare brand, envisioned a new workspace, she wanted it to be the antithesis of a standard business hub. It's intentionally designed to be the anti-office, a place where the boundaries between work and inspiration are fluid.