Earlier this year, Parentology reported on the collaboration between Ori and IKEA for furniture and room design. Now the collaboration between these two companies is taking the premise of robotic furniture and taking it to the next level — translating that concept into both building and city design.
How Ori Met Ikea
Ori is an American start-up, founded by engineers as the product of MIT research. It was founded in 2015 and launched its first pieces of robotic furniture into the market just two years ago. When IKEA was looking to bring spatial solutions to the masses, Ori seemed like a logical partner.
The result was ROGNAN, a singular piece of furniture that can be transformed into a bedroom, closet, living or workspace. The unit is controlled by a robotic touchpad that plugs into any electrical outlet. With a push of a button, individuals can customize their space for the task at hand. The ROGNAN is easily assembled and disassembled so consumers can take it with them if they move.
This new collaborative effort has evolved between Ori and the Ingka Group, who is largely responsible for licensing IKEA’s retail spaces and building integrated shopping centers. The idea is to expand on the robotic furniture and actually integrate robotic features that maximize space in growing urban areas in the design and development phase. This shift would help Ori to move from after-market furniture design that adds functionality and space, to the design of entire buildings, shopping centers or hotels from inception.
The companies are both invested in the idea that smarter design will help maximize space, resources and efficiency in a growing urban world.
“Mass urbanization is accelerating and creates heavily populated cities that are at the same time consuming both land and resources at an unsustainable pace,” an IKEA spokesperson tells Parentology.
This next phase of partnership between IKEA and Ori will integrate the two companies even further in their plans to help build smart, sustainable buildings.
Ori Ikea Buildings — Sources
Fast Company
IKEA
