Looking for a modern-day underground bunker to work from so you can actually focus during these ‘unprecedented times’? Me too and that is why I found this Sunken Studio for us. It makes me feel like we will be living and working inside one of those snow globe zen gardens!

We were all slowly pivoting towards a more flexible lifestyle and then the pandemic sped that up leaving us to adapt to remote working overnight. It went from being a perk at new-age companies to a mandatory practice without a definite end in sight. And while we never imagined this is how the transition would happen, it has opened up all kinds of creative solutions for home offices. Igor Leal’s Sunken Studio is another unique design to add to that list, it was made to keep you away from the everyday disturbances by giving you a sleek subterranean workspace. Also, you can get creative with your ‘roof’ – will you like to have a picnic lunch or play golf? The 500 square foot studio concept was a custom solution requested by a client in Rio De Janeiro who wanted a fully functioning workspace that he could spend long hours in. That is why it features a sitting area, kitchenette, bathroom, and desk area. This is a modern, compact office that allows you to host small conferences, do video calls, and meet clients without any interference. Also, once you are in the zone you don’t have to come up above ground for small things like a snack or bathroom break.

A glass facade overlooks a small courtyard with a bench to open up the structure, make it airy, roomier, and allow for natural light to enter the space. It is also an ideal spot to escape the mid-day slump, I personally love to have my coffee away from my desk and get some fresh air. The office is subtly submerged into the ground and covered with a grass roof to conceal the volume from view without taking away from the natural landscape. The Sunken Studio is an ultimate focus pod!

Designer: Igor Leal