Framery Space Overview: Inspired by CBRE Tokyo

CBRE Tokyo’s Innovative Idea Lab

As a global leader in commercial real estate and workplace strategy, CBRE is committed to shaping the future of the workplace through experimentation, design thinking, and bold innovation.

Perhaps the best embodiment of this is their Tokyo-based Idea Lab—a hands-on space built to test new ideas, inspire clients, and showcase emerging solutions that support better ways of working. The goal is simple: to demonstrate how smart, adaptable design can improve productivity, well-being, and overall office performance.

“CBRE Idea Lab is where we bring our workplace strategy to life. It’s a space for discovery—where we test, learn, and share what’s possible with our clients.”
James Harvey
Co-Head of CBRE Idea Lab

CBRE Idea Lab functions as both an innovation showroom and a working space for CBRE’s Tokyo-based employees. In its opening year of 2024, the space welcomed more than 1,400 visitors from over 300 client organizations to experience the latest workplace technology on the market, including a fleet of three Framery One smart pods, which quickly became a favorite of staff and guests alike.

A clear need for better visibility

Tucked around a corner, the Framery One pods were in high demand and constant use. But their location made it difficult for employees and visitors to know whether a pod was available at any given moment.

CBRE needed a way to visualize the real-time availability of the pods. And fully integrating the pods into their booking system wasn’t in line with their strategy.

“We needed a simple way to see if the pods were available—without having to take the lift up from another floor or walk across the office.”
James Harvey
Co-Head of CBRE Idea Lab

The CBRE Idea Lab team brought the challenge to their Framery Customer Success Manager, asking whether there might be a more streamlined solution, something that could deliver immediate value without the burden of added infrastructure or systemic approvals.

The request reflected a growing need in offices around the world and provided the momentum needed to begin developing a solution that would scale to workplaces everywhere.

A smart solution to a simple problem

Inspired by the request from CBRE, Framery’s Smart Office Development Team set out to create a better way for people to see which spaces were available without having to walk around the entire office.

The idea was to create simple, scalable, and cost-effective software that makes it quick and easy for everyone to find a place to work with a minimal barrier for implementation. The result was Framery Space Overview™—smart office software that allows nearly any screen to display the real-time availability of nearby smart pods and rooms.

“Our goal was to develop an intuitive tool that could help workers find a free workspace in just a few seconds.”
Anna Kuutti
Product Manager, Framery Smart Office Solutions

Framery Space Overview works seamlessly with the tablets, TVs, and monitors that companies already have in the office, allowing for quick deployment without additional infrastructure. Compatible with Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, Framery Space Overview can also display the status of any Framery smart pod without establishing a calendar connection.

Designed for high-traffic areas, Framery Space Overview fits naturally into lobbies, corridors, and working zones—delivering information when and where it’s needed. This added visibility supports smoother office flow and improves overall space utilization.

A tablet on a wooden table displays Framery Space Overview in a modern, well-lit office environment with blurred background.

A person is holding a tablet displaying Framery Space Overview in an indoor setting with blurred background artwork.

Innovation on display

In the summer of 2025, CBRE’s Japan Headquarters became the first office in the world to roll out Framery Space Overview, integrating it into CBRE Idea Lab’s striking 4×2.5 meter transparent OLED screen. The massive display is supported by strategically placed tablets throughout the space, putting real-time workspace visibility front and center for staff, clients, and guests alike.

“We worked closely with Framery’s development team to get Space Overview running on our existing screens and digital signage system. It’s now an integral part of how we work here at CBRE Idea Lab.”
James Harvey
Co-Head of CBRE Idea Lab

As CBRE Tokyo continues to push the boundaries of workplace design, the Idea Lab remains a proving ground for solutions that make the office work better for everyone. And plans are already in motion to add a Framery Room Display to their freshly installed Framery Four, expanding their smart office toolkit even further.

“Providing real-time visibility on phone booth occupancy will elevate the user experience across many of our clients’ workplaces.”
Laurent Riteau
Director, Workplace Strategy, CBRE Japan

The setup will provide a fully interactive experience for visitors, showcasing how private spaces can be seamlessly integrated into the office landscape. For CBRE, it’s another opportunity to explore emerging workplace technologies hands-on and share those learnings with clients seeking to build better offices of their own.

Partners for smarter offices

What began as a simple request that tapped into a broader challenge facing workplaces everywhere has now grown into a powerful tool that is helping save time for workers in offices around the world. And it’s become an integral part of Framery smart office solutions—a suite of innovative tools and technologies that support better office performance at every level.

“Framery Space Overview is a natural extension of our smart office solutions—offering a lightweight answer to a universal problem in a beautifully simple way.”
Arto Vahvanen
Head of Smart Office Solutions, Framery

Framery smart office solutions combine intuitive booking tools and workplace management technology to enhance the office experience and help teams build smarter, more efficient environments. With software that improves how people access spaces, and a management platform that supports layout, usage, and performance, helping to ensure employees can find a private space to work whenever needed.

Driven by a deep understanding of what makes modern offices successful, CBRE and Framery are aligned in their commitment to creating smarter, more human-centric workplaces. Together, they are reshaping office design with tools that deliver real-world impact—and creating better spaces for the people who use them every day.