There's no doubt that the pandemic turned everyone's world upside down. Home quickly became a school, the office, and a source of entertainment. And it was that idea that inspired London-based architecture and design firm Jak Studio to reimagine the traditional L-shaped couch into a multi-purpose piece.
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Called L20, the couch looks relatively ordinary with a sleek modular shape made of two parts that split in half. But, with an easy-to-use mechanism, the sofa quickly converts into a bed or private work pod. Horizontal pieces can turn vertical, making up a workable cube. You can then pull down a built-in desk and reading light. A USB port and laptop charging station are also built in. What's more, the fabric and construction muffle surrounding noise can comfortably take a call, and the design was ergonomically tested to ensure comfortable productivity.
"While the trend for working from home has seen a gradual increase in recent years, the global pandemic has accelerated this shift, impacting what individuals might need from their homes in the future," said the studio. "Where, in the past, homes have been designed to have more open, communal spaces, individuals are now struggling to create working areas to boost productivity, ensure privacy, and conduct meetings and conference calls."
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They added, "What has become apparent is that homes and furniture need to adapt, providing flexibility and daily changes of use so that we can embrace a new era of working from home."
Beyond a workstation, the L20 can also morph into a bed to provide additional sleeping space. "The sofa bed was a revolutionary piece of furniture when it was first designed, but it has not evolved further," said director Jacob Low. "It dawned on me that the limit to what we can use our homes for is infinite if we are creative."
Though the sofa is just in the concept phase, the studio is looking to mass-produce the prototype with a commercial partner. They want to donate the profits to the Architects Benevolent Society.
