Bridgitte Alomes, founder of Natural Pod learning furniture, joins the ONEder podcast to advocate for creating healthy, sustainable and intentional learning environments for children. Inspired by her son’s allergic reaction to toxic chemicals in a toy, Bridgitte envisioned, founded and leads a company to deliver beautiful, functional, and eco-friendly learning spaces that foster creativity and well-being. Encouraging involvement from both children and educators in the design process, Bridgitte shares highlights from successful projects at Thrive Community School and Explorer Academy. Listen in for a dose of passion, focus and commitment to empowering beautiful, durable and sustainable learning spaces.
“The spaces that we’re creating aren’t about us. It’s about the children that we’re serving… If we don’t advocate for our children’s learning environments, who will?” – Bridgitte Alomes, CEO, Natural Pod
Originally posted at oneworkplace.com
Read the full transcript:
00:02.03
CCB
Welcome to the ONEder Podcast. This is your host, CCB, and we are going to be recording our, I think it’s the 62nd or 63rd episode of the ONEder Podcast, which I’m totally thrilled to be able to share with everyone. I want to remind everyone that you can follow us on Apple or Spotify under the ONEder Podcast.
We love to hear what you think about it. So, if you want to share information with others or give us feedback, please do. Today’s conversation struck me when we were setting this up, that at One Workplace, we talk about building spaces for people to bring their best selves to doing whatever it is they do in that space. When you think about spaces that are built and human beings, the first spaces that we come into built spaces are our homes. But soon thereafter, as very little people, we’re exposed to a learning environment of some sort. It might be preschool. It might be our new transitional kindergarten. It might be a classroom, like a kindergarten or first grade classroom.
01:22.83
CCB
The thought about the need for intentional creation of environments that will support and nurture children in these environments is kind of mind-boggling. I thought about that because we’re going to be talking with Bridgitte Alomes from Natural Pod. The story that she has to share with us is pretty remarkable with the contributions that are being made to these early learning environments. I want to say, Bridgitte, welcome. Thank you so much for joining us.
02:02.70
Bridgitte Alomes
Oh, and thank you, Carolyn. I’m super excited to be here today.
02:05.87
CCB
You can call me CCB, okay?
02:07.32
Bridgitte Alomes
I can call you CCB.
02:08.02
CCB
I want you to!
02:09.93
Bridgitte Alomes
And you can also call me Brig, Bridgie, or Bridjo, just so you know, or Bri.
02:14.72
CCB
Excellent. Excellent. So, everyone, you’ve got it. Now you’re in the know. OK, so first, we’d love to hear the origin story. Tell us about the inspiration that drove you to found a company creating what you create. So ,you’re going to have to tell us why and what, OK?
02:38.09
Bridgitte Alomes
Yeah, well, you know, I certainly didn’t start my career in the sustainable space, or even in furniture or education. In fact, I thought I was going to be a dancer and spend most of my life performing. Then I ended up in software and technology, and life evolved and changed in many different directions. I think when we were kids, we had these big dreams, and mine was to be a dancer. Fast forward, it wasn’t until something really caught me off guard. That was becoming a parent. Not becoming a parent caught me off guard; I was super excited about that. But my child had an allergic reaction to a toxic chemical in a toy. In that moment, when you’re bringing a new being into the world,
03:29.77
Bridgitte Alomes
they’re very precious and you’re taking care of them and learning new ways of providing for them. I also had a really strong “aha” moment and thought, well, how am I going to change this? Not only for my children but for other children in the world. That really changed the course of my life and became the catalyst for Natural Pod. After he got sick, I couldn’t help myself but start to research all the materials used in children’s products and learning spaces, particularly in learning spaces and furniture. I’m incredibly curious.
04:12.84
Bridgitte Alomes
I’m always asking so many questions like, where did it come from? What is it made of? Tell me the story behind it. Who created this? Then I discovered quite quickly how much in our children’s learning environments contained toxic glues, lead, formaldehyde, various chemicals; children under the age of seven absorb more toxins than children over the age of seven. I started also looking at these spaces thinking, where is the beauty? How does it feel like home? Is it a canvas? Where’s the longevity? Will these materials go back to the earth? What is the story behind them? After connecting with other parents and educators and really getting their pulse,
05:01.25
Bridgitte Alomes
it started to come alive. Here we are, many years later, we’ve impacted over a million students and 18,000 learning spaces because of that aha moment and a need to provide something of better quality for my own family and then wanting to support others.
05:20.58
CCB
You may win the prize for best origin story about why you’re doing what you’re doing. That’s remarkable and so authentically heartfelt, which is a wonderful basis for the work that any of us do. So you decide you’re going to do this and that furniture will be the way you make this shift in healthy environments for our children. How do you create a business making healthy furniture?
06:06.34
Bridgitte Alomes
You know, it really comes back to focusing on our children. Our children and our communities depend on each of us to make decisions now that set us up for the future. Learning environments, like you said at the beginning, often children start their lives at home and then go into learning environments. They’re often in their learning environments more than they are at home. What does that learning environment speak to? Is it a space designed through a conscious choice? Is it designed with intentionality over perhaps a more convenient option?
06:51.46
Bridgitte Alomes
When a learning environment is holistically designed to truly serve the needs of the community, a learning environment is a community hub. It can accomplish so much more than just your nine to three during the day. Those spaces are a hub where everyone can come together and serve many purposes. The space that they’re in matters. It should allow for free movement. It should be beautiful and a canvas for their learning environment, meaning that the color comes from their art and the documentation of learning and their own creative ideas, not from a pre-described space that doesn’t allow them to explore the freedom of movement and choice and agency. It’s about choice.
07:48.47
Bridgitte Alomes
If we teach our young ones in those learning spaces that they can choose where they learn best, I learned many years later that I had a choice. I learned that I could choose where I wanted to sit, stand, move, get uncomfortable, dance, whatever it might be to express something that I’ve learned. I certainly didn’t learn well being told where to sit all day. I like to wonder, I want to look at the trees and nature that’s outside. Personally, I want children to be outdoors first and foremost. That’s the most important thing. But if you’re going to be in a space, is it intentional? Is it beautiful? Is it calm? Is it nourishing? Or does it feel like a space that is not functional and is not beautiful? That can really change the energy of a child’s experience during the day.
08:43.96
CCB
It’s fascinating to, well, be at my stage in life and go back and think about what classrooms looked like. You want to talk about industrialization and linear processing. It’s fascinating that the human spirit and creative nature can even overcome those. You think about all the folks that went through those types of environments and still came out astonishingly creative.
09:06.83
Bridgitte Alomes
Thank you
09:13.68
CCB
or, you know, filled with energy and intention, despite what we were surrounded by.
09:24.14
CCB
We have all of this evolving information about how we learn, and what can promote nurturing the spirit and the development of our children. When you’re thinking about designing, who do you work with to create the canvas?
09:59.23
Bridgitte Alomes
That’s an excellent question because ultimately who you work with are the end users. The end users are children. The spaces that we’re creating aren’t about us. It’s about the children that we’re serving. They have such a wondrous imagination and creativity where they can look at certain pieces and see different possibilities. We start with the children and then look at the educator holding the space for those children. Holistically, a learning environment isn’t just a classroom.
10:43.53
Bridgitte Alomes
Children have that continuity of care, whether you’re four, six, eight, twelve, eighteen, or eighty-eight. We all have that continuity of care when we’re thinking about space. We want familiarity; we want to feel safe. If a learning environment can have that consistency throughout the years of learning and we look at the space as a holistic space rather than individual classrooms, not cookie-cutting the design, but really thinking about how this piece, this experience grows with the individual and their learning. Knowing this piece will be here forever.
11:27.27
Bridgitte Alomes
How can it be repurposed and reused throughout those years? I also think about educators in the space or in their holistic learning environments, and that’s the entire school, is shared resources. I want them to be inspired to be there for themselves. Educators are doing one of the most important jobs holding children throughout their entire learning journey. They should be inspired to be in the space, not bogged down by feeling like the space is overtaking them and becoming a storage room. So it really is about bringing in those things that tell a story, a legacy, and serve multipurpose functions. The entire space is intentional, and it is beautiful. It’s very functional.
13:09.51
CCB
Excuse me. I was looking at your website, and the stories you tell are very well told from many different communities and in different environments. When Natural Pod calls itself a learning solutions company, you’ve really opened the door to a much broader set of offerings. Can you share some stories about different communities you’ve worked with to create the right space?
14:05.02
Bridgitte Alomes
Absolutely, and again, what we’re providing is a solution that really transcends across geographic regions, pedagogy, curriculum, and all the different ways that schools may be established. The idea is when you’re going into the space, it feels more like home than a traditional learning environment. For example, there’s Thrive Community School here in Canada, which is a non-profit K-6 school. They also provide food programs and after-school programs. The children spend a significant amount of time in their learning environment. The joy, confidence, and freedom that they experience in that space is incredibly inspiring. Another example is Explorer Academy in Huntington, West Virginia.
15:05.84
Bridgitte Alomes
This space is used as a learning studio, where children can come in and present their projects and express their creativity freely. Lastly, the Environmental Nature Center in Newport Beach is a non-profit early learning space. They integrate indoor and outdoor learning, and children engage in risky play, which builds confidence and accomplishment. These spaces support social development and emotional learning, much like the familiarity of home.
17:46.37
CCB
That’s lovely. I’m reminded of our friend, Laura Guido Clark, who runs Project Color Core. They engage children in creating colorful murals in communities lacking resources. The joy and sense of accomplishment is palpable.
19:11.99
CCB
We work with many education projects and learning environments. Sometimes there’s pushback against introducing new solutions. How do you manage that lack of interest in change?
19:41.36
Bridgitte Alomes
It comes down to decision-making in the moment. Consider the legacy you want to leave for future generations. Are you making informed decisions with a long-term view? What is your intention and purpose? First, repurpose and reuse existing resources. Consider the impact of your choices on the community and the environment. Spaces should be used as community hubs. Libraries, for example, have evolved from storing books to serving multiple purposes. Ask yourself what legacy you want to leave behind. Is your decision conscious and intentional? It’s not just about furniture; it’s about creating inspiring and functional learning environments.
22:17.13
CCB
You got me to two points I wanted to address. One was the idea of how Natural Pod products are made. Can you elaborate on the concern for well-being and materiality, particularly in becoming legacy and being healthy?
22:52.33
Bridgitte Alomes
Our business model has always been sustainably minded. We’re triple bottom line focused, considering the health of the planet, community impact, and sustainability. Everything is made here in British Columbia. We’ve been FSC certified from the beginning and are the only certified B Corp furniture manufacturer in North America. Our product is designed to last a lifetime with a lifetime warranty. No formaldehyde, soy-based glues, and transparency in materiality. Our furniture is multifunctional, not just single-purpose. A bench can become a balance beam, boat, ramp, or shelving. It’s about creating pieces that grow with the individual and have continuity of care, whether you’re four or 34.
25:32.18
CCB
I want to remind our audience that our website for the ONEder Podcast has a transcript and links to many of the things we’re discussing. If you want more information about Bridget or Natural Pod, you will have access to it.25:55.84
CCB:
I’m struck by an earlier conversation we had in the last podcast, which was with a person who builds senior living communities. We were discussing where else this can go. When you say “learning solutions,” it doesn’t restrict it to any age group. The idea is that many different uses can be integrated into any particular design so that others can use it. The person mentioned that in his community, they look for things that grandchildren can play with in the outdoor spaces, which are also therapeutic or movement tools for the aging population. Can you talk to us about where you’d like to see Natural Pod go?
26:57.32
Bridgitte Alomes:
I love that you brought that up because one of my favorite books is Play by Dr. Stuart Brown. I believe that no matter your age, it’s important to play in whatever way that means for you. When I think about spaces and the continuity of care, I wonder why only early years have fun spaces like play lofts and play stands. In elementary school, traditionally, we’re in rows and desks. In high school, it’s more rows and desks. By university, we can choose where we want to be. How cool is that? Then we enter tech companies with ping pong tables and great spaces. But in senior homes, it’s back to tables and chairs. So, who decided that was a good idea?
Are we creating pieces that have continuity of care and are not age-dependent or specific? Why couldn’t we have a play loft in a senior home where grandchildren can visit, climb, and read a book? We should be curious, creative, and question why not. Why can’t we have biophilic design incorporating nature for children to explore?
It comes down to designers and people involved in the design process to be curious and ask why not. Are we creating spaces that encourage movement, creativity, and imagination for all ages, including seniors?
30:02.37
Bridgitte Alomes:
Curiosity, creativity, and questioning are crucial when thinking about these spaces in design.
30:12.04
CCB:
We’re at the end, and I can’t believe it because I had about 15 more questions. So, I’ll give you, Bridgitte, the last say. What haven’t we talked about that you think the audience should hear, or what needs to be reinforced?
30:42.46
Bridgitte Alomes:
I think what needs to be reinforced is the understanding that the work we’re doing truly matters. We are creating spaces for future generations and thought leaders. Students need inspiring spaces where they can thrive now and in the future. These spaces should be the intersection of pedagogy, sustainability, and great design. Health and wellness should be at the heart of decision-making.
Educators need to know we care about their environments and will help them create spaces for children. This requires collaborative and honest conversations to navigate challenges and solutions together. Recently, I spent a week meeting with seven school districts and multiple educators. It wasn’t about furniture; it was about hearing what’s inspiring them, understanding their challenges, and finding solutions together. This work impacts learning spaces and our children of the future.
It’s important to stay resilient, prioritize passion and perseverance, and collaborate while staying true to your values. If we don’t advocate for our children’s learning environments, who will?
33:04.81
CCB:
The children involved with Natural Pod have you, your team, and those committed to curiosity, collaboration, and building a community. It’s been lovely hearing more about Natural Pod, Bridgitte. Thank you from the ONEder Podcast. You can find more information on our webpage. Goodbye for today.
33:37.70
Bridgitte Alomes:
Thank you so much.
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