The Robot Invasion is Already Here…
By: Aminah Aliu
Tags: Origami, Home Decor, Furniture, Robots, IKEA

Everyone is asking, “When will robots take over the world?” but have you stopped to consider that robots may soon be taking over your living room?

With new companies–like Ori–bringing tech into the (often) static real estate space, it’s only a matter of time.

🤷🏾‍♀️ What is Ori?

Ori is a Brooklyn-based furniture design company that aims to aid city dwellers in maximizing the square feet of their apartments by providing elegant and durable furniture solutions. In places like Manhattan, where apartments recently cost an average $1,532 per square foot, maximization of space is becoming increasingly more essential. And Manhattan is not alone…Ori living systems can currently be found in over 15 cities including Boston, Chicago, Miami, and San Francisco.

Ori works to develop “robotic furniture” that glides and slides into place as needed, and can be tucked or lifted away when not in use (Hence the inspiration for their name: origami).

According to their website:

Most of us have been conditioned to accept compromised urban living. But what if we expected more from our spaces? At Ori, we challenge the world to see the potential in all spaces, unlocked by advances in technology and empowered by a different point of view that moves us toward a more affordable, accessible and sustainable urban future. If we can create spaces that effortlessly adapt and change to our needs, on demand, we could make even the most modest apartment feel luxurious.

⏳ Why Now?

As of 2019, 82.46% of the total US population lived in an urban area, and that number is only rising. Further, with the onset of COVID-19, space has become a particular pain point for many, as the home has now become the office and vice versa.

As space is becoming more coveted, new renters seek living arrangements that give them the best bang for their buck. Innovations like Ori’s “Pocket Office” and “Pocket Closet” allow new experiences for those in studio apartments and other housing where home offices and large closet spaces would otherwise be impossible. Further, these products allow for ease of compartmentalization in studios or other one room living spaces where the kitchen, bedroom, and living room quite literally become one.

☀️ Ori’s Future

Current, Ori does not sell straight to consumers, but to property managers, and there is a minimum order of 10 systems for any one address. That all might change with Ori’s partnership with Ikea on the ROGNAN furniture system. This system will be sold in IKEA stores, allowing individual consumers to purchase this advanced technology for themselves. What’s more, Ori and Ikea are looking to expand internationally, with ROGNAN systems to be unveiled in Hong Kong and Japan.

As it is, with innovative furniture companies like Ori, robots may very well take over the living room. That fate would not be a dreaded one, though, but one we can all look forward to with excitement.

✍🏽 Main Takeaways:

Ori is a Brooklyn-based furniture design company that aims to aid city dwellers in maximizing the square feet of their apartments. Ori’s innovative furniture allows new experiences for those in studio apartments and other housing where home offices and large closet spaces would otherwise be impossible. Ori’s partnership with Ikea on the ROGNAN furniture system would bring Ori technology directly to the consumer and allow its impact to be international.

One Last Thing–

I sincerely hope you got value out of this article! For more, check out the other articles my medium page. Have more questions or thoughts? Let’s connect on LinkedIn!