Parapluie
Office WellbeingOctober - December 2021
Parapluie is a motion-activated sound dome that provides immersive natural sounds for quick breaks in the office. It pairs with detachable felt covers that absorbs outside noises.
Role
Researcher and Desginer (Independent Project)
High-Fidelity Model Ideation + Research
After an onsite observation the tech company, I noted some issues in its open floor office:
- No pairing nature environment outside the office
- Workaholic culture
- Lack of personal space in the office
Then, I interviewed 20 people from the industry for their habits of taking breaks from stressful works. Given that micro-breaks are essential to one’s work performance1, most interviewees mentioned their shame of taking breaks. They instead chose unhealthy break habits such as snacking and scrolling on the phones.
Workers in the open office needed a more private area where they feel safe to rest and reflect.
After an onsite observation the tech company, I noted some issues in its open floor office:
- No pairing nature environment outside the office
- Workaholic culture
- Lack of personal space in the office
Then, I interviewed 20 people from the industry for their habits of taking breaks from stressful works. Given that micro-breaks are essential to one’s work performance1, most interviewees mentioned their shame of taking breaks. They instead chose unhealthy break habits such as snacking and scrolling on the phones.
Workers in the open office needed a more private area where they feel safe to rest and reflect.
Prototyping + User Testing
With the identified problems that
I wanted to design a break column that distincts itself from the monotonous working environment and provides enough privacy for workers.
I did five rounds of prototyping, and kept user tesing log along the way.
With the identified problems that
- Privacy is an essential factor of taking breaks
- Workers lack the contact of nature
I wanted to design a break column that distincts itself from the monotonous working environment and provides enough privacy for workers.
I did five rounds of prototyping, and kept user tesing log along the way.
︎︎︎︎
Full-Scale Public Testing
I brought my modles to testers and experts and consulted their opinions.
I decided to focus on the hanging design and to emphasize three elements: Sound, Nature, and Privacy.
I reasearched multi-channel sound players, Arduino motion-activated speaker system, and natural materials such as bioplasitc.
After finalizing my design concepts, I showed a more refined model to the public, and designed questionnaires for feedbacks from real-world workers.
I brought my modles to testers and experts and consulted their opinions.
I decided to focus on the hanging design and to emphasize three elements: Sound, Nature, and Privacy.
I reasearched multi-channel sound players, Arduino motion-activated speaker system, and natural materials such as bioplasitc.
After finalizing my design concepts, I showed a more refined model to the public, and designed questionnaires for feedbacks from real-world workers.
︎︎︎︎
Final Design
The final model uses a dome shape to create directional sound space. It uses duo-channel speakers for immersive sound, and it also can be activated by motion, saving any additional energy to touch the screens.
The height and the length of the curtain are adjustable so that the dome better serves the user’s needs for privacy levels. The felt material reduces the noise from the outside.
3-4 Parapluies can be installed at the same time. It can be used standing or be paired to furniture thanks to its height adjustment function. Parapluie locates itself in the intermediate space between open-floor office desks and loundge areas.
Parapluie Function List:
1. Privacy & Enclosure
2. Form of nature
3. Healing relaxing surrounding sounds
4. The feeling of "otherworldness"
Parapluie Function List:
1. Privacy & Enclosure
2. Form of nature
3. Healing relaxing surrounding sounds
4. The feeling of "otherworldness"
Supporting Theories
1. Micro-breaks encourage people to work more productively; (DeskTime App)
2. An artifect is needed to encourage healthy activities against burdening breaks such as aimelessly social media use;
3. Natural sounds reset mental activities;
4.The dome structure create focused sound area that minimizes the influence to people from the outside.
1. Micro-breaks encourage people to work more productively; (DeskTime App)
2. An artifect is needed to encourage healthy activities against burdening breaks such as aimelessly social media use;
3. Natural sounds reset mental activities;
4.The dome structure create focused sound area that minimizes the influence to people from the outside.
