reframe your space This project was developed by Sebastian Langer, Jim Joyce, Kazuhide Shibata, Suzanne Klooster, and Mackenzie Orr in partnership with MediaLAB Amsterdam and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Ailo aims to promote flexibility, connectivity, and collaboration for employees throughout KLM.
Frame The frame is attached to the ceiling. The position of it is controlled by a mobile application to become a room separator, table, or decorative
Insert
ceiling piece.
Inserts are placed inside of and held by the frame. The type of insert is dependent on the general needs of employees within a space and can
Process
be changed regularly or irregularly.
For this project, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines originally proposed a design challenge: co-create prototypes and services to create a work environment where all employees experience wellbeing and purpose on a daily basis. After conducting 9 in-depth qualitative interviews, a quantitative survey with 46 respondents, 40 hours of participant observation, prototyping
Ailo
for empathy, and extensive academic research we found that
Ailo is named after the movable parts of airplane wings,
KLM employees experienced wellbeing and purpose in their
ailerons,
work environments.
movement by working opposite of one another. Just as
which
control
an
aircraft’s
side-to-side
the pilot uses ailerons to direct a plane towards new The central design challenge was redefined to focus on the
destinations, moving Ailo transforms the atmosphere of a
lack of connection between KLM locations and employees.
room. Ailo provides an opportunity to transform ceiling
Three further sub-issues included: lack of flexibility in office
pieces into room separators, tables, or back again to
spaces, auditory aesthetics, and presence of plants.
create an open space.
Concept details
Future impact
Ailo is a solution to the issues faced in the modern workplace.
Within KLM, one future aim is to develop inserts tailored
It redefines and challenges what the basis of a building can be
to employees located outside of office spaces. This will
and promotes consistency and connection throughout large
provide an opportunity for consistency and comfort to
organizations. Ailo is a structure suspended from the ceiling,
match diverse employee needs.
which consists of two parts: a frame and changeable inserts. For this project, two inserts were created. The first is a moss
Ailo is designed with a more general goal to be open
insert and the second is a digital touch screen display.
source, allowing all employees of the future to create their own inserts to customize their workspaces. Ailo
The aim of the moss insert is to reduce auditory stressors,
aims to support ever-transforming work styles and
improve air quality, and wellbeing. The aim of the digital insert
increase conectivity in large organizations.
is to create connection through content, which can inspire employee routines or stimulate conversation.
Reframe your space.
FLEXIBILITY
CONNECTION EXPERIENCE
WORK SPACE
CO-CREATION