by ibby
OpenSeed teams with Yves Béhar to design the Iris Pod, a meditation refuge blending human-centered design, sound, and wellness science.
In a world buzzing with notifications, screens, and nonstop stimuli, the idea of intentional silence is almost radical. Enter OpenSeed, a startup building meditation pods that blend sound, light, scent, and architecture to deliver calm in under 12 minutes.
A Pod as Object and Oasis
What makes OpenSeed resonate is how thoughtfully the pods are conceived — not just as functional wellness tools, but as sculptural sanctuaries. Their two main lines, LOTUS (for commercial settings) and IRIS (a collaboration with design legend Yves Béhar / fuseproject) illustrate a commitment to both utility and visual identity.
Placed in workplaces, lounges, condos, wellness centers, the pods are intended as calm anchors, breaking through ambient noise and inviting introspection. The minimal internal environment, free from visual distractions, focuses the user’s attention inward.
As Béhar notes:
“Our approach in creating the Iris Pod seamlessly connects human-centered design with the science of wellness. The pod is designed to be an intentional and intimate wellness refuge where calm and connection are realized. A new aesthetic created with felt and wood materiality complements its surroundings while maintaining its design-forward presence.”
Sound, Science & Storytelling
OpenSeed doesn’t rely on silence alone. Each pod is layered with original sound content, guided meditations, ambient textures, and essential oils. They’re collaborating with sound therapists, meditation teachers, and audio engineers to fuse science + aesthetic sensibility.
It’s a move that echoes what many design-focused brands are doing today: blurring the boundary between experience and object, utility and art. For designers, it raises the question: how do you build calm into our surroundings in a way that’s equally functional and beautiful?
Why This Matters to Abduzeedo Readers
It’s a story of design meeting wellness — the kind of cross-disciplinary innovation our audience loves.
OpenSeed shows how identity (sound, scent, spatial design) can be holistic — not just visual.
The collaboration with Yves Béhar gives it cultural gravity beyond a wellness buzzword.
If you’re designing spaces or objects today, this is a case to watch: when calm becomes a feature, not a featurette.
OpenSeed is shipping its IRIS pod in 2026.
