Acoustic & Techno-Philosophy

When we talk about privacy pods, the first question that usually comes up is, “Are they soundproof?” And the honest answer is, not entirely, but that’s by design. Absolute silence might sound appealing, but in reality, it’s unnatural, jarring, and can feel isolating in a workplace setting. What we’re actually aiming for is sound insulation, enough of a barrier to block out distractions, keep conversations private, and allow people to get on with their work without feeling cut off from the world.

Sound insulation and sound blocking work hand-in-hand. Sound insulation is all about reducing how much sound escapes or enters the pod, it doesn’t cancel noise completely, but it softens it significantly. Sound blocking, on the other hand, is about how well the pod structure reflects or absorbs sound using materials like layered walls, dense panelling, and acoustic foams. It’s a thoughtful mix of design and science that keeps what happens inside the pod private, without turning the space into a vacuum chamber.

Comfort plays just as important a role. Our pods include a high-performance ventilation system, carefully engineered to circulate fresh air continuously. We go well beyond international standards, achieving 35 to 50 air changes per hour (pod size dependent). That means the air inside doesn’t go stale and the temperature remains comfortable, even during longer calls or meetings all without compromising acoustic performance.

And then there’s the smart stuff, the features people don’t always notice, but would definitely miss if they weren’t there. Our pods are equipped with PIR motion sensors that control the lights, fans, and even the occupancy indicator. The sensors are set to a 20-minute delay, so everything stays on while you’re thinking, sitting still, or just lost in concentration. It’s a small detail that makes a big difference to the user experience.

Pods are tested internationally to ISO 23351-1 standards, which measure how well a pod reduces the level of speech heard from the inside, 2 metres outside the pod. To determine a consistent reference of measurement, the results are classified according to the above classes. There are no official testing facilities in SA, so we’ve used a similar test method and compared our results to an internationally certified pod as a point of reference.We’ve translated these technical ratings into a clear, easy-to-understand classification system. It’s designed to help you choose the right pod for your space, based on how it will be used, and how much acoustic separation you actually need.