Innovative silent booths for offices manufactured in Cēsis

Cēsis-based company ARKA AK has entered the market with an innovative and promising product: the ARKA SILENT acoustic office pods. They are manufactured in Latvia using natural and sustainable materials: wood, wool and wood fibre. The pods not only provide high-quality noise reduction but are also a visually appealing interior element. 

The idea of manufacturing silence booths came to Maksimilians Arnolds Biezais, co-founder of the company, after visiting a technology company in Amsterdam, where he realised how widely such solutions are used in Western Europe. In Latvia and elsewhere in the Baltics, this work environment culture is still in its infancy, but demand is growing rapidly. Shortly after his trip abroad, Mr Biezais and architect Valdis Linde founded a company that is now based in the historic premises of the automotive repair factory in Cēsis. 

ARKA SILENT office pods are equipped with five-layer noise reduction technology that can absorb up to 33 decibels of noise, ensuring confidentiality and comfort in both relatively quiet and noisy office environments. “We wanted to create a product that is not only useful, but also visually appealing. The design created by architect Valdis Linde allows the pod to blend organically into the office as an aesthetic interior element, rather than a foreign object,” Mr Biezais says. 

The company has positioned itself in the mid-price range, but with top-class quality in terms of functionality, design and raw materials used. This opens broad growth opportunities both in Latvia and in foreign markets. “This is a strategic decision in a market flooded with cheap soundproof booths made from low-quality materials, which often provide only limited noise reduction functionality. On the other hand, high-performance products made from high-quality materials are very expensive and difficult to access for a wider range of companies,” Mr Biezais explains. 

Innovation vouchers to the rescue 

ARKA AK began operations in 2024 and, upon its founding, joined the Cēsis business incubator of the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia. Last year, using an innovation voucher, an electronic control module for the office pods was developed in collaboration with specialists from Riga Technical University. 

“The touch-screen-operated electronic control module allows you to regulate both lighting and ventilation, which are two critically important aspects in such a small, enclosed space. Ventilation usually means additional noise, but we have managed to develop a solution that is powerful yet very quiet. This is what makes the pod a true oasis of silence – a place where you can fully concentrate on work or conversations,” Mr Biezais emphasises. 

Sound hygiene – a pressing issue 

The demand for silence booths is on the rise as the working environment changes – companies are trying to lure employees back to the office from the comfort of their homes, office spaces have become more compact in hybrid working conditions, but the demand for productivity remains. It is precisely in these circumstances that the downsides of open-plan offices become particularly apparent. 

“The reality is that open-plan offices simply do not work without well-thought-out sound hygiene solutions. And more companies are realising this,” says Mr Biezais. Studies show that noise can reduce productive working time by up to 89 minutes per day, while access to private spaces reduces stress and improves employee satisfaction. 

Developing new products and preparing for exhibitions 

There are currently two versions of the ARKA SILENT acoustic pod available on the market – single and double. A four-seater booth for longer meetings is also in development. The company’s first customers are Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, Cēsis Municipality and several architectural firms. The product is also available in Riga, at the Trentini furniture store. 

The company’s immediate goals are to perfect the product and then actively pursue export opportunities. “We are currently focusing on Latvia, as it is easier to test the products and receive immediate feedback here. However, negotiations with distributors in the Czech Republic and Romania are already underway, and our goal for next year is to participate in international exhibitions,” the company reveals. 

Information material prepared with the support of the European Regional Development Fund