BY:MATTHEW CHIN
In the Netherlands, a country with one of the highest workplace satisfaction rates in the world according to monster, one company plans to introduce natural scenery and nomadism to the office.
Amsterdam-based KantoorKaravaan, which translates to Office Caravan, recently developed custom-made caravans that will occasionally travel to each of Netherland’s parks so you can work while being immersed in nature.
Photo by: Erik Lindvall/ Kantoor Karavaan
The caravan is complete with a solar-powered coffee machine, a compostable toilet, internet access and the basic office essentials to avoid distractions while working in this private movable cubicle. There are windows on all sides of the caravan so you can open them and listen to the wildlife sounds in a peaceful environment. Tom Van de Beek, the founder of KantoorKaravan said on his website, “It’s a very effective remedy to reduce stress or avoid burn-outs. Compared to your typical office, our concept gives you plenty of space, much needed silence, and ultimate freedom.”
The caravan is complete with a solar-powered coffee machine, a compostable toilet, internet access and the basic office essentials to avoid distractions while working in this private movable cubicle.
Photo by: Erik Lindvall/ Kantoor Karavaan
To pay for your stay, the caravan works with “add-offs”—the time you spend in it and how you preserve the location it’s parked in, determines how much you have to pay for your contribution.
The offices are a spinoff of SustainsVille, a project that builds a self-sustaining community of tree houses for cultural creatives, adding the potential to live and work in the forest, being completely off-the-grid.
Photo by: Erik Lindvall/ Kantoor Karavaan
The caravan is intended for freelancers who mainly use their laptops for work and want to escape the daily office routine—but it can also come in models that include workstations, meeting rooms and workshops. The goal is to make the workplace a sustainable and mobile enterprise while featuring the backdrop of lush greenery from national parks to dunes with plenty of space to stargaze as well.
Photo by: Erik Lindvall/ Kantoor Karavaan
Currently, the caravan is located near Amsterdam, which is accessible by train or bike. To sleep nearby, there is a campsite. “We pick them up from the nearest train station or provide them with bicycles. We also offer people the possibility to camp. The idea is to spend several days at least to get the real workation vibe, and people can stay as long as they want,” said Van de Beek in Fast Company. The site can hold up to 35 workers. The company plans to expand by setting up similar sites with caravan offices in places like Sweden, Greece, Spain, and the U.S.
There are windows on all sides of the caravan so you can open them and listen to the wildlife sounds in a peaceful environment
Photo by: Erik Lindvall/ Kantoor Karavaan
Other companies have also reinvented the caravan to become an office, such as Google’s Amsterdam headquarters—but it only stays inside the office.
Whether you’re sick of the seemingly insurmountable pile of work in a bland, distasteful, office environment, or just need a change of scenery, the KantoorKaravan’s got your back. Out in the forest, the distractions are gone and the environment is much less stressful, allowing you to focus on productivity, in an off-the-grid mobile caravan. As Van de Beek puts it, “This way we can move from one place to another and find the best ‘wilderness’ spots around to stay for a couple of weeks before heading out to the next pristine natural hot spot. Without leaving a trace, of course.”
Photo by: Erik Lindvall/ Kantoor Karavaan
Photo by: Erik Lindvall/ Kantoor Karavaan
The goal is to make the workplace a sustainable and mobile enterprise while featuring the backdrop of lush greenery
Photo by: Erik Lindvall/ Kantoor Karavaan
It’s a very effective remedy to reduce stress or avoid burn-outs. Compared to your typical office, this concept gives you plenty of space, much needed silence, and ultimate freedom.
Photo by: Erik Lindvall/ Kantoor Karavaan
Sources: treehugger.com, kantoorkaravaan.nl
