Photo by Pete Vidal. Courtesy of Montgomery College.

What’s the public’s response to the outdoor workspace in the middle of a bustling downtown Silver Spring corridor? “Overwhelmingly positive,” says one of the people behind of OUTBOX, a partially enclosed structure that popped up Monday on Ellsworth Drive.

“We’re seeing a lot of people coming to the OUTBOX with their lunch, coffee, laptops, and cellphones who are really utilizing for the space to work and create,” continues Dan Figueroa of development firm Peterson Companies. The space, which seats 20 people, has a roof but no walls to give people the sense of working outside while being blocked from the sun. It also has free WiFi and outlets to keep tech devices charged.

Crews have been putting tables and chairs in the space around 10 a.m., says Figueroa, and it’s been consistently packed between 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. “There are times when there are no seats—it’s being used that much,” he continues, adding that people spend about an hour or two in the space, which is more time than anticipated (but totally cool). Folks have until 7 p.m. to take advantage of the amenity before the furniture is removed each evening.

OUTBOX is a partnership between Downtown Silver Spring, Peterson Companies, and Montgomery College. Four students from the institution’s Applied Technology program created and pitched the space’s design during a capstone course and competition. Thabang Nyondo told WUSA that her winning team wanted to incorporate the vibrancy that already exists in the area, which resulted in a bright green, blue, pink, and yellow color scheme. The colors also represent the diversity of Montgomery County, said teammate Colleen Sagers.

The space will be open to the public through October. In the meantime, “we’re brainstorming what this can be… what else can we do with it,” Figueroa says.