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This remote office immerses workers in nature

Studypod by Livit, Norway

Norway – Design studio Livit has created a detached office allowing remote workers to immerse themselves directly in nature.

The Studypod was created as a response to the global pandemic and the rapid rise in remote working. It can be used as an indoor or an outdoor home-office solution. The design aims to provide a place for quiet work from a user’s garden, or on set at a photo studio, for example. Reflecting its multi-functional potential, Livit also hints at how the space could be used for yoga or as an external bedroom.

The studio, which is known for its Birdbox cabin, creates designs that promote a sense of calm and freedom in natural spaces. ‘Our goal at Livit is to create amazing experiences for people, and the Studypod is something we think can truly add value to people’s everyday lives, by giving them breathing space without distractions, where they can focus and get close to nature,’ says designer Torstein Aa.

With remote working options looking increasingly permanent, people are considering the importance of Pandemic-proof Properties to help their homes provide multi-purpose functionality.

Atid turns dead stock into technical apparel

Atid by Alexander Taylor Studio, London

London – Alexander Taylor Studio has created a seasonless online fashion platform that will take a circular approach to design.

Atid’s debut collection of technical apparel and accessories will be made from excess inventory and dead stock sourced from premium sportswear manufacturers. The first limited edition will be released in August 2020 and will exclusively be available online. In addition to upcycling leftover materials from Atid’s partner factory in China, various items will be made from a new bio-yarn hand-crafted in collaboration with an atelier in Paris. As items are created out of reclaimed materials in small quantities, all of Atid’s future fashion pieces will be limited in their availability.

By actively not playing according to the seasonal fashion calendar, Atid aims to minimise its environmental footprint further. In an interview with Dezeen, designer Alexander Taylor says: ‘The idea of seasons in fashion generates huge amounts of waste, due to deadlines and consumer demands, unsold inventory and the endless creation of new textiles.’

As the fashion industry is forced to rethink its use of end-of-life of materials, Atid aims to transform waste streams.

HBO Max and Calm launch meditative tv series

US – The streaming service is launching A World of Calm, a 10-episode series created in collaboration with mindfulness app Calm.

Marking HBO’s first move into the health and wellness field, the series combines calming imagery with narration by celebrities including Idris Elba and Nicole Kidman. Each half-hour episode builds on the approach of Calm’s successful Sleep Stories, adding immersive visuals to the scientifically engineered narratives to provoke a tranquil state for viewers.

‘Calm started life as a meditation app but the brand has evolved far beyond that,’ explains Michael Acton Smith, co-founder and co-CEO at Calm. ‘We are delighted to bring the magic behind our audio Sleep Stories to the screen for the first time. These experiences are visual Valium and will help people relax and unwind during these stressful times.’

While screen-based activities are typically associated with negative health habits, other digital health innovators such as AeBeZe Labs argue that media consumption can have pharmaceutical benefits.

Sleep Stories and A World of Calm by Calm in partnership with HBO, US

Stat: Pandemic forces Americans to rethink future grocery shopping

Natoora, London

Following Covid-19, a majority of American consumers believe there won’t be a return to  the  old ways of grocery shopping. 

A new survey by OnePoll for HelloFresh asked 2,000 Americans about their view of the future of grocery shopping. The research reveals that almost seven in 10 Americans believe the traditional grocery store run will be a thing of the past. As many as 42% of those surveyed also said they now worry about the cleanliness of the products they buy and the grocery store as a whole, while 28% of respondents say they often have anxiety when they visit supermarkets.

But with 64% of the survey participants having embraced grocery delivery services, a new generation of online grocers have the opportunity to level up the customer experience. For more, read our Discovery Grocers microtrend.