Hankyu Hanshin Properties has announced that it will gradually introduce “TELECUBE,” a private smart work booth that looks like a phone booth, in the common areas of Hankyu Nishinomiya Gardens and EBISTA Nishinomiya.
Apparently, this will be the first time “TELECUBE” has been installed in the common areas of commercial facilities in the Kansai region.
It seems to have a track record in the Tokyo metropolitan area, but in Kansai, “TELECUBE” is still not a familiar name. So what exactly is it?
What Is “TELECUBE”?
*Screenshot from PRTIMES
Inside, it is equipped with a desk, chair, power outlet, and other features. In this private space, users can work on documents, send and receive emails, handle various other tasks, and communicate by phone or web meeting.
| Exterior dimensions | Width 1,200mm × Depth 1,200mm × Height 2,315mm |
| Equipment | Desk, chair, downlight, power outlet ×1, USB connector ×1, ventilation fan |
| Soundproofing | Fully enclosed type |
| Entry/exit | Users scan the QR code displayed at the entrance with their smartphone to unlock the booth. When leaving, they simply exit. |
| Usage fee | 250 yen/15 minutes, excluding tax *Pay-as-you-go billing in 15-minute increments |
Note 1: TELECUBE comes in single-person and multi-person versions, but the booths being introduced this time are for one person.
Note 2: The TELECUBE booths being introduced this time have antibacterial, deodorizing, and antiviral coating.
That’s what it seems to be.
- 絶対に使う23.2%(45票)
- 使いたいけど恥ずかしい29.9%(58票)
- 使わない46.9%(91票)
Thinking it might be like a larger version of a phone booth, I grabbed a tape measure and measured a phone booth and vending machine near the Nishitsu editorial office!（I tried using an app that can measure easily with a phone, but it didn’t work well…）
Here are the results↓↓
| Height | Width | Depth | |
| TELECUBE | 2,315mm | 1,200mm | 1,200mm |
| Phone booth | 2,150mm | 860mm | 860mm |
| Vending machine | 1,815mm | 1,350mm | 645mm |
As expected, TELECUBE looked like it would be the most comfortable in terms of space.
However, its width is slightly narrower than a typical vending machine.
Where “TELECUBE” Will Be Installed
Hankyu Nishinomiya Gardens
（Main Building 1F, next to the coin lockers near Welcome Garden）
EBISTA Nishinomiya
（3F east-side space）
Both locations are scheduled to have one booth installed in mid-March, and usage hours will be from 10:00 to 21:00.
How to Use “TELECUBE”
To use TELECUBE, it seems that membership registration and a reservation are required. Reservations can be made here.
*Screenshot from the official TELECUBE website
Finally
Personally, I like small spaces because they feel a bit like a secret base.
So I’m curious about TELECUBE, but I don’t think I’ll actually use it haha.
For people who are always getting work done, “TELECUBE” might be a handy private space to quickly get some work done during spare moments while out and about.
Maybe people will use it for things like squeezing in a little work while accompanying their wife on a shopping trip.
