Since March, millions of people around the world have been forced to figure out how to work from home, from improvised office space to quick childcare solutions.
Startup OotBox's answer comes in the form of a 10-foot shipping container turned office. The name comes from founder Robbie Friedman's need for a third space outside of the office and home to talk to clients, which became an "out of the box" idea. OotBox started offering the units in June and promotes them as a space solution anywhere, from a backyard to coffee shops to hospitals.
Other companies created similar designs, with tiny backyard offices,modular meeting rooms within an office, and even small partitions to divide off a workspace in the home. OotBox's model is different than the rest of these options, though.
Most of these small offices are selling for tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, but OotBox is a rental, starting at $1,500 per month. This could certainly be more appealing to many potential users, who might not plan to work from their backyards indefinitely. An OotBox spokesperson told Business Insider by email that when the lease is over, the company truck comes to unplug and take away the container. She also said that the OotBox becomes profitable after about 12-14 months into a lease.
On the OotBox website, the company favorably compares its prices to buying a typical work pod, which it says usually cost $5,000 to $20,000, while OotBoxes can be rented for as little as two months.
Take a look.
The company calls OotBox an "on-demand productivity space for up to four."
It's an eight-foot by 10-foot shipping container.
The tiny office weighs 4,000 pounds.
It can seat up to four people, serving as an individual office or a meeting room.
So far, the OotBoxes have also been used in other contexts, including a medical care center.
Each unit has a glass wall that makes it feel larger and "offers the feeling of outdoors."
It has silent climate control, so it can work in most environments.
Inside, a bar top table and adjustable chairs come standard for meetings.
Technology packs include a TV for videoconferencing, and plenty of outlets.
The design is clean and minimal, set up for getting work done.
Swapping out the few pieces of furniture can take it from the meeting room to the solo office.
In the case of the medical care center, the interior was customized further to meet the needs of the provider and patients.
Back outside OotBoxes have LED lighting integrated into the design.
Each comes with secure access through locks and a keypad.
For commercial leases, OotBox offers custom branding on the outside.
Zillow was one company that used this branding, leasing an OotBox for client meetings.
OotBox says that a unit can be delivered in just a few days, and only needs to be plugged in.
For commercial leases, prices start at about $1,500 per month, which includes maintenance.
OotBox offers online estimates for people looking to put one in their backyard.
For anyone with a flat driveway and a power outlet nearby, OotBox estimates $5,000 for a six-month lease.
