LAPOD is designed to be opened single-handedly so you can use your other hand to reach inside for your essentials in one simple, frictionless motion. If the Work Surface top snapped into the Storage Pod base (for example, like a Tupperware lid) this would make the process of accessing your things awkward and cumbersome (as we learnt during our design development process). The Work Surface nests into the moulded rim of the Storage Pod very securely, yet with enough freedom of movement so as not to interupt your work flow.