SAPA Series with Caro Lundin
During springtime in 2020, as governments around the world made the panicked decision to lock down their countries in a bid to stop the spread of Covid-19, many predicted that this would spell the death of the co-working space. After all, how could the idea of bringing large numbers of people together around shared desks and common areas not lose its appeal in our new pandemic reality?
SAPA Series with Caro Lundin
During springtime in 2020, as governments around the world made the panicked decision to lock down their countries in a bid to stop the spread of Covid-19, many predicted that this would spell the death of the co-working space. After all, how could the idea of bringing large numbers of people together around shared desks and common areas not lose its appeal in our new pandemic reality?

Today, we know of course that those predictions were wrong: the health crisis has rather accelerated the trend towards teleworking and flexibility — bringing a seismic shift in culture where companies around the world have switched to fully remote or hybrid work models.

But while coworking places are no doubt here to stay, they are already forced to reinvent themselves to fit a world where hygiene and social distancing have become key drivers of design. So what does that entail for architects? And what changes should we expect for the future?

One with an idea is Swedish architect and designer Caro Lundin, who opened a co-working space in London in the midst of the pandemic.

It only took six weeks for Lundin’s self-titled studio to complete the construction of ARC Club, after taking over a low-rent retail unit in Hackney. The style is a stripped-back, fuzz-free environment of 232m2 — designed with interiors decked out with a selection of low-cost and durable materials that Lundin felt reflected a climate where coworking is "a necessity and not a nice-to-have."


In this episode of Sapa Series, Lundin tells us more about what materials will likely emerge as hygienic, pandemic-adapted alternatives, how to design for social distancing, what technologies will be featured in shared offices of the future, and how coworking places can drive positive change in socio-economically disadvantaged areas. 

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Propelled by the booming gaming sector, virtual reality has in the last few years started to spill over into industries ranging from education and human resources, to construction and design. And yet, more than half a century after the very first VR headset was created in the US for military applications, we are only starting to scratch the surface of its possibilities.

Indeed, as the technology is set to become widely adopted across our industries, what will it mean for city planning when entire urban areas can be created without being built? How will it shape the future of education and recruitment? And will this emerging shared space enhance our empathy or make us more isolated?

 

These are some of the questions we cover in Sapa Series’ latest episode, featuring VR whiz and entrepreneur: Emma Ridderstad.

 

With a longstanding interest in technology, Ridderstad grew up preferring science publications to teenage magazines. In 2016, she founded her company Warpin Media to help companies and organizations incorporate virtual and augmented content into their business models. While based in Stockholm, Warpin has worked with clients all over the world, including Ferrari, Disney and H&M, and has even developed its own VR and AR and hardware.

 

See more about Emma in the episode below (avaliable spring 2022)

See more about Caro in the trailer below. You can watch the full version on May 20th 11:00 on Youtube here: SAPA Series- Caro Lundin