Not Quite a Blog

Architects and urban planners take note: we desperately need cellphonebooths.

“Huh?”, you ask. Well, think about it. How long has it been since you’ve last used a pay phone in a phonebooth? Most payphones don’t even have booths these days... take a look around next time you're in a city. You’d be surprised how many payphones have non-working payphones or no phone at all.

However, with the increasing use of mobile devices and cell phones, there is a growing need for sound isolation, even in places where traditional phonebooths haven't existed. For example, in open-plan office spaces, it can often be a nuisance to take a phone call. I hardly need to mention taking an important phone call while you’re walking down a busy street.

Architects could design cellphonebooths into office floor plans and office furniture firms, like UC’s supplier Steelcase, could produce modular cellphonebooths. Urban planners could design public versions, even with a charge and timer of some sort (power and internet access for an additional fee?).

The new cellphonebooth should probably be designed differently, though. For example, to first order, just an old phonebooth without the phone would be ok. However, what if you need to pull out your laptop or have a reasonable working surface? Maybe they could offer a place to sit and a working surface on a slightly larger footprint.

UPDATE [2008-05-07T13:53:44]: A Steelcase employee responds in the comments to the effect that Steelcase does have such a thing, called the Cell Cell:

OFFICE CONFIDENTIAL: Conversations are hush-hush in the Cell Cell, designed by Steelcase to give cube dwellers cell-phone privacy and spare the rest of us from TMI. It lights up when occupied, and boosters aid phone reception