CalmCave: Interactive furniture to help you unwind

Sensory stimulation

CalmCave supports relaxation on multiple levels. Its interactive design engages the senses through gentle light animations, primordial sounds from built-in speakers, and haptic stimulation from varied textures. By focusing on perception, it encourages self-regulation of strong emotions, helping users decompress and restore inner balance. The chair’s walls are lined with sound-absorbing material, amplifying the effect of sound-masking technology.


An additional feature is the reclining mechanism, enabling diverse body postures that promote flexibility and inclusivity. In this way, CalmCave offers a safe, inviting space that encourages comfort, stretching, and playful exploration of movement.

Slow-tech and Meaningful Interaction

CalmCave is an inclusive space designed to support individuals experiencing overstimulation, stress, burnout, or other mental health challenges. In today’s fast-paced, overwhelming environments, it provides essential relief in both public and semi-private settings. Using a slow-tech approach, CalmCave encourages relaxation through multisensory elements—textures, sound, and gentle lighting—while remaining fully inclusive.

The project reimagines public spaces as zones of rest and regeneration, helping reduce stress and social isolation. Drawing on the concept of the Object with Intent (Rozendaal et al., 2019) and the role of everyday products in shaping habits (Montano & Kasprzyk, 2015), CalmCave employs nudging to invite users inside when the surroundings become overstimulating, promoting healthy coping strategies and mental well-being. Inside, users can control light and sound via a control panel and choose how long to spend in the space; when time is up, a gentle interplay of light and subtle chair movement returns them to the outside world.

Research

To understand users' needs for relaxation spaces, we conducted research with patients and staff from the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Ward at the University Hospital in Krakow. The research included a co-creation workshop with patients, followed by expert focus group interviews and desktop research.

The findings highlighted the potential for creating safe spaces where patients can unwind. Key aspects of the proposed concepts included sensory stimulation and support for various body postures. Therapists recognized the value of meaningful furniture interactions to teach patients adaptable methods of self-soothing and emotional regulation.

Although the initial research focused on the healthcare sector, the applications extend beyond hospitals—to schools, offices, airports, and other overstimulating public spaces. The need for visual and acoustic privacy, alongside safe spaces to relax, is a universal requirement in today’s crowded environments.

Its development is co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of Poland as part of the “Rozwój Sektorów Kreatywnych” program, implemented by the Polish Creative Industries Development Center.