In today’s fast-paced world, we often seek moments of peace, whether at home or in public places. There are various products designed to offer such comfort at home, and some brands are taking it a step further by creating furniture pieces that help us unwind in public spaces. A prime example is the CalmCave by UK-based Nioh Nioh, which is an interactive piece of furniture that helps you relax, decompress, and find calm in over-stimulating environments. It employs a low-tech approach to promote relaxation through touch, sound, and soft lighting, while staying inclusive for everyone.
CalmCave supports relaxation on multiple levels. This unique piece of furniture features an organic form that ensures visual and acoustic privacy and makes you feel like you are sitting in a pod. Its interactive design engages the senses through gentle light animations, primordial sounds from built-in speakers, and haptic stimulation from varied textures.
The chair’s walls are covered with sound-absorbing material to enhance its calming audio effect. It also features a reclining design that supports different sitting or lying positions for better comfort and accessibility. This makes CalmCave a safe space that invites relaxation, stretching, and light movement.
CalmCave gently encourages users to go inside when things feel overwhelming and helps them promote mental well-being. Inside, they can adjust the light and sound, and choose how long to stay. When their time is up, soft lights and gentle chair movements gradually bring them back to the outside world.
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The maker has conducted thorough research with patients and staff from a psychiatry ward in Krakow using workshops, focus groups, and studies to understand relaxation needs. The results showed the importance of safe spaces that offer sensory stimulation and support different body positions. Though the study focused on healthcare, the need for visual and acoustic privacy can also be extended to public places like schools, offices, and airports.
In simple words, the project re-imagines public spaces as zones of rest and regeneration. CalmCave will be taken to the Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven for its international premiere.
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