Onni

Cousins & Cousins x Ekkist

A big challenge of working and living from the same location is separation. Most homes don’t have room for dedicated workspace, and distractions, clutter and lack of privacy can affect quality of work and life – leading to stress and an inability to switch off.

Onni is a set of work surfaces that descend from the ceiling of a living space to reclaim dedicated space for work. The innovative solution to regaining a sense of work-life balance can be mounted on or recessed into an existing ceiling – with the potential to become an entire ceiling surface in a future housing typology.

At the start of the working day the work surfaces descend, revealing acoustic absorption panelling to limit noise distraction and reduce stress. Desk heights can be raised or lowered to pre-defined dimensions, responding to users’ ergonomic preferences and a variety of standing and sitting options.

Integrated with lighting, Onni bathes the workspace in therapeutic light in the morning, tuning into the colour of the rising sun and circadian rhythms. After midday the space becomes brightly infused with cooler blue light to boost productivity. At the end of the day Onni retracts, concealing desks and screens. A warm red light mimicking the setting sun creates a wind-down period that stimulates healing and enhances immune system function.

Team:

Cousins & Cousins
Ben Cousins, Jelena Cousins, Alisdair Gray, Faye Ambrose

Ekkist
Jade Leighton, Olga Turner, Ben Channon