Architect & Entrepreneur Lavina Rodrigues, Director, Innofitt Systems, has designed the Accommodation Pod - a modern and transportable eco-friendly home – that enables users to make lifestyle changes through a home designed for easy mobility, opening up relocation possibilities, and installation within 90 days.

This new product – the Olle Pod, unlike anything in the construction industry, is helping clients have a home, an office, a resort room, or a project site office, in just three months’ time. The pods are recyclable and sustainable; they are made without use of concrete, cement, or labour. They do not harm the environment and can be constructed and delivered with minimum use of resources. It merges with any new surrounding area without sealing and destroying it.

Technology & Sustainability
These are 3–dimensional rooms (modules) readied in a controlled factory environment, which promises high quality, technical superiority, and performance - and at lower costs as compared to conventional methods with reduced cycle time from concept to commissioning by 1/3rd of the time. Also, there is no noise and environmental pollution. Construction utilises only 15% of natural resources like water, making the pod a green building concept.

Architect & Entrepreneur Lavina Rodrigues

We firmly believe that technology and sustainability go hand in hand. The latest technology along with green building norms is the roadmap towards sustainability. It is vital to merge technology and adhere to the norms of green buildings to create harmony. In my earlier projects for the Indian Navy, we experimented with various materials, readymade walls, staircases, decking sheets for slabs etc, and I wanted to find a way not to use cement and concrete in constructing spaces.

Birth of an Idea
In May 2020, during the Covid period, the idea of making accommodation pods struck and we started to do some research on the concept. My earlier experience with containers helped me come up with the pod idea. The challenge was to create a weatherproof structure, which was also aesthetically appealing, could be transported, was as durable as a traditional house made from cement & mortar, and unlike the conventional construction norms, needed no permissions for construction.
Lavina Rodrigues, Innofitt Systems
Our unique design & model is redefining traditional design and a new segment in the Plug & Play housing category. It is a path-breaking concept of manufacturing living units in a factory and assembling them at the site. We wanted to create a positive impact in the construction industry by breaking barriers in conventional practices. We have demonstrated an alternative to building a concrete – a pod that is eco-friendly and helps to reduce carbon emissions. Plus, it can be delivered on time. Delayed projects tend to stress the end-customer as generally happens with housing projects.

Lavina Rodrigues, Innofitt Systems

In India customers prefer RCC buildings, which are known for their strength and durability. But we wanted to give them a choice for timely and quick construction with structures that are robust and can withstand harsh weather conditions, including storms and extreme cold temperatures.

We started working on the designs and were inspired by many such designs in western countries. But to manufacture it for the Indian climate, we needed to process it as per our needs, while giving them a modern look. It had to be durable for at least 15 – 20 years. The idea was to create social, ecological, and economic spaces.

Architect & Entrepreneur Lavina Rodrigues

International Design
With Olle, not only do you get international-style luxurious spaces, but you also get superior construction, fast delivery, and better ROI. These sustainable modules help make spaces that are flexible and mobile and can be modified with changing needs – be it for living, vacationing, working, etc.

The structure is built using prefab technology with the help of structural drawings, and considering the strength and loads. The Olle Pod’s main body has an outer façade made of Aluminum Composite Panels sourced from good brands. The 35cm of wall and 30 cm of roof/floor is filled with mineral wool insulation to ensure the highest level of thermal insulation, long-term stability, and durability.

The Pod has a lifecycle of about 20-30 years that includes recyclable materials such as metal frames and other components. Its walls are made using factory-made calcium silicate panels. All the materials used have fire and waterproof certifications. What’s more, the environmental balance has not been disturbed in any way.

Architect & Entrepreneur Lavina Rodrigues

Flexible & Versatile
A Olle Pod is a unit working on the principles of Plug & Play. It can be installed at any location and connected to essential utilities. It needs trailers to be shifted from one location to another, and can be placed anywhere since no government permissions are required as it falls under the temporary category. It can be installed on a farmland, near a river or dam, or on a rooftop to create extra space for a clubhouse, children’s play area, a site office, a sample flat, a resort room, in bungalows, on the beach, a desert, a mountain, and even in the forest.

The Olle Pod can be extended to any size, configuration, or upwards to a height. It can be extended vertically and horizontally by adding any number of additional units to it. The probability of extensions is endless and as per your needs and creativity.

Architect & Entrepreneur Lavina Rodrigues

The possibility of an Olle Pod taking on any type of customization is endless. It can be given a rustic finish or a sophisticated, modern one. It can adapt to any colour combination or texture to suit the surrounding ambience or nature.

Inside the POD
An Olle Pod comes with its basic interiors done. It can be further customized with branded furnishings and furniture to suit your budget and taste. We have installed a few pods in and around Mumbai. Some clients have installed these pods on their bungalow plots which have been lying vacant. Some rent it out as a homestay as It can accommodate four persons. People enjoy the openness and modernity of living in a pod.