A U.K.-based company called Ori has developed a shape-shifting walk-in closet, powered by robotics. The product, called the Ori Pocket Closet, is composed of one or two shelving walls that expand to create a walk-in closet when needed and contract to close when you don’t. The shelves run on a motorized track that can be activated by the touch of a button, voice control, or app. Fast Company’s Mark Wilson says the closets can be shipped flat-packed to projects with installation taking four weeks.
Why a walk-in closet? “What happened, in part of that process [of founding Ori] we started learning a lot. One of the things we learned was walk-in closets are one of the most wanted features in apartments nowadays,” says Larrea. “High-speed internet is number one, walk-in closets are two. That’s real data from multiple apartment studies.”
In terms of footprint, Larrea says that the Pocket Closet generates 30 square feet by opening and closing itself–it’s simple math, the six-foot-wide unit can open up five feet wide. (And given that real estate in many U.S. cities runs $1,000 per square foot these days, that savings translates to $30,000 in your home.) The closet also fits a 50-inch TV and hides a fold-out desk. In this sense, it’s a multi-functional, space-conscious piece of furniture that’s also capable of moving on demand.
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