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Mute Studio is a design and training team that supports clients in harnessing the full potential of Mute Modular and applying adaptable office architecture to workplace design. In this post, we sit down with Alicja Dziedziela and Paweł Panek, representatives from Mute Studio, to discuss their work and explore the significance of adaptability from an architect’s perspective. 

How do architects perceive the concept of the adaptable architecture? Are they familiar with this trend?

Paweł: It’s a well-recognized concept among architects, but mostly in the context of building design. It typically involves creating spaces that can be easily reconfigured to meet changing needs. Some iconic example of adaptable architecture include the Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo. The building demonstrates how prefabricated modular units can be arranged and rearranged to create different configurations over time.

Alicja: However, this level of adaptability has not yet fully transitioned to office design. In office architecture, truly adaptable solutions are rare, and when they do exist, they are typically achieved through tailor-made systems designed for specific clients. These systems might involve movable walls or flexible furniture arrangements, but they still fall short of the real scale the adaptability is seen in other architectural domains.

You claim new Mute's product is a game-changer it that field. So, in two words, what's Mute Modular? 

Paweł: It' is a room-in-room system that aims to apply the benefits and functionalities of adaptable architecture to office design. It enables the creation of flexible, reconfigurable rooms of different sizes, capacities, and functions. It allows architects to build pods, small to large conference rooms, lounge areas, coffee points, and much more. Long story short: the most of spaces that we can not imagine modern office without can be built in the system.

So, what’s your role in it? 

Paweł: We’re part of the Mute Studio, a unit that helps architects and designers use the full potential of the system. Basically, we meet every day at video calls with designers who work with our system and our task is to solve practical design issues. 

Alicja: We also organize lectures for architects all over Europe, where we talk about the system in the context of adaptable architecture. Occasionally we also conduct closed training workshops on designing with Mute Modular, for specific companies and distributors. 

Paweł: Since we’re designers ourselves, we know the nature of the work done by the people we talk to. We know what it’s like to finish a project right before the deadline and implement design adjustments at the last minute. 

Alicja: And since we were involved in creating Mute Modular, we know exactly how to work with it in order to take full advantage of a space’s potential and create beautiful, as well as functional and flexible offices. 

What are the most common questions architects have concerning Mute Modular? What do they want to know? 

Paweł: Architects are, above all, positively surprised that a product like this is available on the market. Their questions mostly concern the configuration options for the spaces they’re currently designing, integration with AV systems, and acoustic comfort inside closed rooms. 

We're facing a true revolution in the manner of working and using the workspace.

Did your conversations with architects change your own perception of the product?

Paweł: Absolutely. Designers often report needs that we cannot meet using standard solutions. It’s always an impulse for further product development. That’s exactly how many improvements were introduced.

Alicja: I’m regularly stunned by the creativity of users, who find ways to use the product that even we find extraordinary and novel. Mute Modular was created with office spaces in mind, but architects are also using it, for example, in hotel lobbies, car showrooms, universities, banks, and even in public offices and public buildings.  

What do you think caused such a positive reception of the product? 

Paweł: Architects, especially young ones, are naturally open to technical novelties. Using adaptable architecture in office spaces, understood as the possibility of continuous and comprehensive space adaptation in response to the user’s current needs, is a major innovation that aligns with the current needs of offices. 

Alicja: The key reason behind this is changes in office functioning that are currently causing a true revolution in the manner of working and using the workspace. 

Modular was launched at a pivotal moment for the office design industry. The office's role and functions have changed enormously over the last few years. Has the implementation of a hybrid work model influenced Modular's popularity?

Paweł: Of course, but not only that. Growing adoption of the hybrid work model, as part of which employees rotate working from home and working from the office, has several consequences. First, offices become the company’s meeting place, where some people are at the office, while others “call in”. Short ad-hoc meetings for several people, which could before even happen at their desk, now require a dedicated place so that both parties can communicate conveniently.

The greater number of meetings requiring acoustic privacy and comfortable conditions led to increased demand for meeting rooms, single-person focus rooms and cabins that allow for comfortable participation in an extended video call, without disturbing others.

How did these trends impact the office set-up?

Paweł: The traditional office model, where a single workstation is assigned to a specific employee, is becoming a thing of the past. Since the office no longer accommodates all employees every day and there is need for more dedicated meeting spaces than before, the space dedicated for workstations is reduced. The office becomes increasingly more of a mix of various separated and functional areas than one common space where the entire office life was happening. Requirements for an office are greater, more varied and changing faster than ever.

The interview is a part of “Mute’s Guide to Adaptable Office Architecture”, an extensive publication we will issue in the coming weeks. 

→ Visit the updated Mute Modular website

→ Discover dedicated page for architects

→ Book a consultation with Mute Studio

Thrilled about OmniRoom’s reception

In 2023, we focused hard on the launch of our latest product, the OmniRoom modular office system. We put so much passion and work into this project, so we were of course thrilled to see that the press and industry experts received it so positively. We were also honored that several prestigious awards recognized Mute and Omniroom, including Best of Neocon Gold, Mixology’23 Award, and a nomination for the Dezeen Awards.

While such accolades are nice, the most satisfying part of releasing OmniRoom into the world was seeing our first users put the modular office system to use at the trade fairs and discovering its unique features like the revolutionary flexible assembly system.

Created more than 1000m2 of OmniRoom spaces

We knew from the start that such a revolutionary product like OmniRoom would require a special product marketing approach. So we did everything possible to make using our system easy as pie. First, we designed a collection of 53 preconfigured “Rooms” that architects, space planners, and distributors could choose from or modify. We then added to the collection 10 multifunctional hubs that consist of two or more different areas. Also, we developed an advanced and flexible configurator in pCon in collaboration with EasternGraphics. The configurator allows users to design all types of rooms and take full advantage of OmniRoom's modular nature.

In result, were able to produce and install more than 1000 m2 of OmniRoom spaces of various functions, styles, and shapes in just six months. And that number is only growing. We’re currently in the middle of dozens of projects, including ones for an automotive factory, the office of one of the most innovative car brands, and the headquarters of one of the world’s biggest architecture, design, and planning firms. We will be sharing more case studies soon. Stay tuned for updates!

Launched the first Mute flagship showrooms

Opening the first exclusive Mute showrooms was another steppingstone. Visitors can now experience our products firsthand and participate in a series of workshops about office planning and acoustics in “Mute Experience Centers” in Munich, and Galew (Poland). We plan to make the showrooms thriving and inspiring “adaptable architecture hubs” where one can learn how to make office design more flexible and sustainable by using OmniRoom and our other products.

Gave back to the community

In the last 12 months, we have been more engaged than ever in local CSR activities. We organized a series of educational workshops for primary school kids to raise awareness about the impacts noise has on our health and mental state. We invited teenagers from a local children’s home for an “open day” in our factory in Galew, where we taught them about the basics of acoustics, self-presentation, and marketing and advised them on career and educational development. We also funded the “Mute Scholarship,”  which will be awarded to the top student of the local high school every year to help them with ongoing education. Finally, we contributed to nature by sowing a flower meadow in our factory’s backyard. And we’re only getting started. In the coming year,  we plan to build a football pitch for our company and the local community.

Rocked at Mute Summer Fest

What a night! Our Mute Summer Fest is a beloved tradition that we try to make better every year. This time, we had an amazing party with dancing, singing karaoke in our pods, and fun sports competitions. But the highlight was the concert of The Mute Band, a pop-rock group formed by our team members, especially for this occasion. Their electrifying show was unforgettable, featuring some of the biggest crowd-pleasing hits by Tina Turner, Sixpence None the Richer, and Queen. Curious want we danced our shoes off to later on? Here’s the Spotify playlist.

Record-breaking fair trade season

Our 2023 trade fair tour was indeed record-breaking: most events attended, most kilometers walked, and, for sure, most people met. From the buzzing atmosphere of the Clerkenwell Design Week in London to our debut on U.S. soil during Neocon and the innovatively-concepted Architect@Work, every fair was an inspiring. We also had our fair share of challenges, mainly because we leave no stone unturned when it comes to designing our stand. We pay attention to the smallest details—a characteristic appreciated by the Workspace Design Show hosts, who granted us the award for best stand.

This year will be even more ambitious with ORGATEC and no less than 8 Architect@Work events (and that’s only a glimpse of our plans).

Dozens of reshaped offices

In 2023, our products reached 36 countries—some of them (like Taiwan or North Macedonia) for the first time. We are delighted that our acoustic pods, sound absorbers, and acoustic lighting contribute to the work of such amazing teams, including Pepsi, Lipton, CMS, Patriarche, Skyscanner, PWC, and many more.

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Every world has its jargon – and the Lighting world is no exception. This article is meant to help you cut through the noise of lighting industry’s tough-to-decipher acronyms and expressions so that you can discover the true value behind the buzzwords. Take a look and see what’s the difference between strength of light and light output, what does UGR stand for and what the hell is Microprism Diffuser. Here we go! 

Strength of light – W (Watt) 

Traditional way of measuring the light showing how much energy is consumed by lighting source. This way of measurement was working well with traditional lighting bulbs, where the higher the wattage lamp is, the brighter it is. However, after LED lighting emerged, it became ineffective. Why? Because now it doesn’t necessarily show us the real brightness of light - LED lighting consumes a lot less energy while providing more light than incandescent lamps. Classic bulb is not effective as professional LED Lighting, because it changes most of its energy into heat, not in light. 

Light output – LM (Lumen) 

The real unit of light used in lighting measurement. Basically, Lumen is the total amount of light emitted in all directions from the source. The higher the lumen rating, the “brighter” the lamp will appear. It is a way more effective and practical solution to measure lighting because with low energy LED lamps, more Light Output can be achieved with much less power consumption. For example, a 6.5W LED lamp will give a similar light output to a 50W bulb lighting. That's 87% less energy (Watts) for the same light output!

LX (Lux) 

Lux is a measure of illuminance. It’s the total amount of light that falls on a certain surface.  The same Light output can provide different Lux levels, depending on the place we want to measure. For example, if you hang a lamp which gives 2500 lm. only 0,5 m. above the surface you want to illuminate, you will get a lot higher level of LX than when you place the same lamp few meters higher. LX level has a direct impact on the comfort of work.  

Bellow you can find recommended Lux levels in different interiors: 

→ Office, meeting room – 500 lux 

→ Reception desk – 300 lux 

→ Lounge – 200 lux 

→ Entrance Hall – 100 lux

Color temperature – K (Kelvin) 

It is a scale for measuring color of light on a warm-to-cool spectrum. It is measured in Kelvins – higher number means “cooler” tones, while lower numbers reflect “yellower”, lighter tones. Cooler or neutral tones (for example 4000 K) are believed to have a positive influence on work efficiency. That is why they are recommended for working spaces and open offices. Warmer colors, like 3000K, will work well in social areas, creating more cozy atmosphere. On the picture below you can see that it is possible to create completely different atmosphere using different color temperatures in the same room. 

Color Rendering Index (CRI) 

CRI index measures the ability of a certain light source to reveal “realistic” colors of objects in contrast to a natural light source. The range of Index is between 0 and 100. A CRI of 100 represent maximum value of natural sun light. Lower CRI value indicates that some colors may appear unnatural, not sharp enough and mix with each other.

Professional lighting products for restaurants, offices and other places, where we spend more than 4h every day, should be at least CRI 80. Bellow you can see that the color of the apple changes from most natural to a way more artificial and pale, depending on the level of CRI. 

UGR - Unified Glare Rating 

UGR determines if light source blinds us or not. This classification ranges from 5 to 40, with low numbers indicating low glare. A good parameter is below 22, but workstations in offices need UGR level below 19. Inappropriate, too sharp and excessive lightings cause excessive brightness to be bounced off reflective surfaces like computer screens or whiteboards. This can create a serious disruption for employees – headaches or eyes troubles. As with lux, a real UGR can be measured only on spot. 

Microprism diffuser 

It is a tool used to scatter light and to create more soft lighting experience. It’s installed on the light source to reduce glare and to provide extremely high visual comfort thanks to its characteristic prismatic structure. That is why Microprism diffuser is ideal for the illumination of workplaces. Allows to reach optimal UGR level in offices spaces. 

The lighting of a room influences us in our work and concentration and has a decisive effect on our productivity and well-being. Tired eyes and headaches can be consequences of wrong lighting in a room.

The right light, therefore, has a big impact on a pleasant working atmosphere. So while designing an office, thinking beyond desks and technical equipment is required. We will tell you how companies and organizations can ensure the right light environment in their offices. 

The Effect of Daylight and the Right Desk Set-up on Our Health

There is no denying that daylight is important to our productivity and the efficiency of our work. But it's not just professionally crucial to work in the right setting - our health will thank us for it too. Tired eyes, a cracked psyche, mood swings, headaches - these can all be effects of the wrong lighting. As Philips makes clear in a report, sunlight and natural light, in particular, have an impact on our well-being and work performance. To support employees in their work, companies need to create a pleasant lighting atmosphere in the office.  

Different Types of Lighting to Create a Perfect Environment

Different types of lightning can support employees in the way they work and help companies to provide an atmosphere that will contribute to their well-being at the workplace. 

Task Lighting vs. Ambient Lighting

Ambient lighting is the general lighting of a room. It substitutes as natural light and provides the overall illumination of a room. Chandeliers, ceiling lights, and even wall lights that lighten up more than on spot create an even lighting level and a relaxing environment in offices and public areas like restaurants, receptions and hotel lobbies.

The use of task lighting is already included in its name as it is light at a specific spot that is used to be able to do certain tasks like writing or reading. This type of light helps to stimulate our brain and supports us when we have to concentrate and focus. Therefore, light sources like pendant lamps above desk areas, desk lamps and swing arm lamps, fall under the category of task lighting. They are great solutions for work stations, conference rooms and open-plan offices. 

Lighting levels

While designing spaces, companies need to ensure the necessary illumination levels for each possible area. To do so, they have to consider "Lux" and "Lumens". Lumen is the total amount of light emitted in all directions from the source. Lux is a measure of illuminance - a total amount of light that falls on a Surface. The same lamp will deliver different amounts of luxes depending on how high it is hung. At the same time different areas require different numbers of luxes. Workstations and meeting rooms need to ensure 500 lux, and reception desks need 300 lux. Entrance halls, on the other hand, only need 100 lux.

Light Colour 3K or 4K

LED lamps and luminaires are available in several colour temperatures. Lamp colour is often a personal choice that is made depending on the environment that should be created. However, most common in office and public spaces are 3000k and 4000k lights. 4000k is a cooler and whiter light that helps to keep people focused. It is mainly used for task lighting. 3000k light, on the other hand, brings a warmer light to a room but may make people a little sleepy after working in this light for a few hours. 

Added Options For an Even Better Light Set-up

Additional functions of lightning can provide even more comfort. Very bright light can be dimmed thanks to a Dali dimmer. That way, you can enjoy a little break or adjust the light according to the room and the setting. The microprism diffuser provides a high level of visual comfort. It is ideal for lighting workplaces with its special prismatic structure, as it has low glare due to its special design. With it you can ensure perfect lighting conditions, especially in the workplace. 

The right lighting is essential in modern offices. Therefore, you should focus on designing an environment that supports creativity and productivity and increases everyone's well-being. The right lighting solutions not only bring comfort and a pleasant atmosphere but are also flexible and smart and can be adjusted to individual needs easily.