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Modular solution aims to make fitting out small design spaces simple

The concept aims to tackle the countless commercial units that remain unused across London due to the expense and time involved in fitting them out

Spotted: The London-based sustainable design studio The Sustainable Designer has envisioned a modular solution to help smaller design companies fit out their space economically, swiftly and with sustainable practices.  

According to the designers, fitting out spaces with the facilities and equipment needed can be costly and take up a lot of time. Consequently, many commercial units remain unused for large amounts of time. 

The Sustainable Designer creative director Nadine Smith told Design Week that “If you can manage to construct IKEA furniture, you’ll be fine with the Nowdio”. 

The design system, trademarked as Nowdio, aims to provide an affordable alternative to provide designers with a workspace that is highly customisable. The solution offers everything from in-built desks, storage and tables to sinks.  

The elements are made so that designers themselves can build them, with more elaborate pieces of the modules coming pre-assembled. The cherry on the top is that all the elements are fully reusable. 

“Every element of our studio disassembles easily back to its individual parts allowing them to be reused, repurposed or returned to be recycled,” said Smith. 

Nowdio is still only in its first stages of development. The concept is being backed by the Mayor’s Resilience Fund. As the team gets closer towards the end of Stage 1, they are now on the hunt for developers and further investors to trial various of their prototype modules in space. 

Explore more: Architecture & Design Innovations | Sustainability Innovations