We often hear from customers looking for a traditional study carrel and decided it was due for an Agati-style upgrade. So our Product Development Team collaborated and came up with four criteria that our contemporary take on a longstanding classic must meet, in order to be Agati-approved.
- Sense of Ease & Privacy
- Durability
- Power Integrated
- Flexibility
Getting the new carrel to solve these four problems didn’t happen overnight. In this blog, follow the journey from primal mockup sketches, to prototypes, to the final marketplace-ready Cove Carrel.
3 Stages of Discovery
There were three key Stages of Discovery during Cove Carrel’s evolution of design:
- Stage 1: Exploring Shape, Size, & Feel
- Stage 2: Meeting Agati Standards & Public Space Needs
- Stage 3: Refining Design Integrity
Stage 1: Exploring Shape, Size & Feel
During the first stage, the product development team discovered the best size, shape and feel of the new carrel. On the right side of the wooden prototype, you can see their first test of a rounded corner. They explored how to achieve a curved surround instead of a rectilinear one, typically found in a traditional-style carrel. This was a first steps towards acquiring a sense of ease in the product.
Stage 2: Meeting Agati Standards & Public Space Needs
In the next stage of discovery, we figured out how to make the Cove Carrel meet both Agati Furniture standards and public space needs. Agati product design must always be durable enough to endure high-traffic spaces and posses an innovative functionality that the environment calls for, such as power integration and flexibility. Here’s how we achieved these desired results while balancing a sense of ease and privacy.
- Tested acoustic panel options to acquire softness, a sense of ease and privacy.
- Explored where the legs needed to go to allow for both seamless power integration and the configurability of grouped carrels.
- Confirmed the shape; locked in on a U-shape or two curved sides instead of an asymmetrical shape.
Stage 3: Refining Design Integrity
During the final discovery stage, we added refining details and touches to ensure the product was marketplace ready. These we’re the final steps:
- Through electrical exploration, we decided to run the cables through the leg so Cove could be as flexible as possible.
- Designed metal edging to increase durability and longevity of product.
- Redesigned the surround from a single piece panel to a 3-piece panel instead of a single-piece to boost the carrel’s longevity and maintainability. Owners can swap out a single panels as needed, increasing the lifespan of the product.
Designing for Human Behavior Through Innovative Furniture Solutions
Cove is a contemporary take on a classic solution. It balances privacy, durability and flexibility needed in public spaces with a sense of ease.
The Cove is space-effective without sacrificing work surface. It can be freestanding or configured in a group for short- and long-term flexibility. Unlike a typical wooden carrel, the Cove’s acoustic interior panel provides visual softness welcoming users to a sense of ease and privacy while they focus on their tasks.
From working in public spaces for decades and going into structures with limited power supply, we know we must incorporate power in all our furniture design. The Cove design is no exception, it’s a standard we must manage and maintain.
Consider the Cove Carrel for your next 5th-12th Grade, Public Library or Academic Library project. To schedule a consultation with our Solution Design Team about our new carrel or your next project submit a request here.
Learn more on the Cove Carrel Product Page.
