Jacksonville-based Corner Lot Living announced June 2 it will feature 10 “expandable apartments” in each of its Artea and Corner on Main developments with the Ori Pocket Office.
The robotic system allows residents to customize their living space with the push of a button. The layouts integrate Ori’s Pocket Office technology by which renters can expand the living room into a private home office and then “reclaim their space by making the office disappear in seconds.”
“This dynamic setup meets the growing demand for hybrid living, combining work, relaxation, and hosting space in one modern footprint,” says the release.
The Corner on Main is at 1148 N. Main St. in Springfield. Artea is at 944 Broadcast Place on the Southbank of Downtown Jacksonville.
“These innovative units set a new standard for modern living in the Jacksonville market,” said the release.
“Ori Expandable Apartments are an innovation in multifamily living, using robotics to create new resident experiences that double functional square footage on demand — giving residents more space and fewer tradeoffs,” said Ori CEO Hasier Larrea in the release.
The release said Ori began as a research project at the MIT Media Lab in 2011 and has the expandable apartments in more than 60 cities across the U.S. and Canada. More than 1,600 residents live in Ori Expandable Apartments in the U.S., it said.
“Today’s residents want homes that adapt to how they live and work, not the other way around,” said Corner Lot Chief Operating Office George Leone in the release.
Sonny LeBron, director of asset management for Corner Lot Living, said April 29 that the Pocket Office “is the newest, coolest, greatest thing.”
“I knew this product would be so amazing for Jacksonville because there are a lot of people who work from home.”
He said it is designed for people who need workspace in their living area.
“You can program it,” he said. “It will house your chair, your computer screen, files and books. It has a lot of storage.”
The movable wall is on a tract that can be programmed by phone, by app, by voice command or by touch. It also can be pulled open manually.
It can be programmed to not open completely if needed.
LeBron said the technology is in 10 studio apartments at Corner on Main and in 10 one-bedroom units at Artea.
He said units with the Pocket Office will rent for about $200 an extra per month. Each office unit costs more than $10,000 and must be installed by Ori.
At Artea, the Pocket Offices are only in one-bedroom floor plans. At Corner on Main, they are in studio apartments.
There needs to be enough wall space to accommodate the 8-foot-wide wall unit and when opened it cannot block doors or fire safety equipment.
Artea comprises 340 and Corner on Main has 202 studio, one- and two-bedroom units.
“It doesn’t have to be just your laptop in front of the TV. You can have a comfortable workspace and turn it into your comfortable living space.”
Staff writer Dan Macdonald contributed to this report.