The Bionic Arch – Taiwanese Green Architecture
The 100th anniversary of the creation of Taiwan was celebrated with the Bionic Arch. The Bionic Arch is a futuristic new concept commissioned by the Taichung City Government. The building is meant to symbolize the advent of a new country and rejoice in the development that is has accomplished in the last century.
“The innovative building concept by Vincent Callebaut Architecture looks to usher in an era of green buildings in the country, and seeks to establish the heart of Central Taiwan as a hub for innovative and groundbreaking architecture, modern lifestyle, and a future urban center that could sustain bio-diversity within the metropolitan environment.”
Flexible Sit Stand Desk
This unique and creative desk is known as the Humanscale Float Sit-Stand Height-Adjustable Table. Quite a mouthful I know, but this desk is extremely innovative and we love it. It consists of two telescopic legs which, thanks to a clever counter balance system, allow the user to adjust the height by simply pressing a lever and applying a tiny bit of pressure. Unlike most other sit-stand desks, the table-top is interchangeable and can accommodate worktops ranging from 42″ to 72″ in length. Though the desk is slightly aesthetically bland, the practicality of it more than makes up for this if you ask me.
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Portuguese Writer’s Retreat
Portuguese architect and set designer João Mendes Ribeiro has converted the former house of a poet into a writer’s retreat. Located in Coimbra, Casa da Escrita was formally named Casa do Arco and housed the late Portuguese poet João Cochofel (1919-1982).
The converted house now provides an archive, writing quarters and temporary accommodation for practicing writers.
Sustainable Digital Design – Denmark
ART+COM is a group of designers that specialise in creating spaces that integrate new media. They have taken what are usually abstract concepts, and brought them into reality at the digital media exhibition located in Volkswagen’s communications platform in Denmark. The pictures are from the area “Level Green: The Concept of Sustainability”, where visitors can learn about climate change and the various consequences it may have. J. Mayer H. designed the centre, his aim being to allow visitors to engage actively in gaining information not only about the concept, but also about how they can put such notions into play within their own day-to-day lives. Perhaps the most impressive features of this centre are the interactive media walls which encourage user interaction by giving access to data via playful touching.
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Office Furniture – Comfortable Silence Bench
Finding beautiful furniture to put in your office can often be difficult, so this is why here at eOffice we like to feature beautiful office friendly furniture from time to time. This collection is by Jory Bringham, bringing together both style and quality to make some stunningly elegant pieces that would fit perfectly in the communal or reception area of any office. The pictures below feature the “Comfortable Silence” bench which was inspired by nonverbal communication. It features solid teak intermixed with charcoal concrete. Within the concrete container you can place whatever you like, although the piece quite clearly looks amazing with a plant of some sort within it!
i.box – Panoramic Glass Structure
With the trend of open plan and accessible office spaces firmly taking root, many offices have attempted to make their spaces more uncluttered and less sequestered. This is often achieved through the use of glass as it maintains an inclusive vibe while still affording the required privacy. This is a welcome change from the compartmentalised offices, typically characterised by the 80s and 90s , which often isolated workers.
Sticking within this ethos has often proved difficult for many companies, especially start-ups or ones with limited funds. This is because ordering custom panes of glass can be time-consuming and costly. Schiavello has therefore attempted to solve these difficulties by designing the i.box.
According to them the i.box is:
A 360-degree panoramic glass structure made up of interchangeable panels for easy assembly and disassembly, i.box fosters a transparent and inclusive culture, employed by today’s most progressive organisations.
Designed to optimise functionality and promote information hubs within open plan environments, i.box is completely variable offering countless configuration possibilities, i.box’s practicality is further enhanced with optional shelving, power ducts, whiteboards and other accessories.
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Volkswagen Factory – Dresden Germany
This Volkswagen Factory in Dresden Germany is a very unique concept, indeed it goes against most preconceived ideas about what a factory should look like. When most people think of a factory a Dickensian picture springs to mind; dark, gloomy and polluted. But not with VW, their state-of-the-art factory in Dresden is clean, modern and many ways downright beautiful! The factory, which was designed by Gunter Henn, is known as the Volkswagen Transparent Factory. Clearly this is due to the extensive use of glass and its open plan structure throughout the building.
Skateboard Office Chair
Rollingfoot is a skateboard company which has given office furniture a new and funky twist! Based in Japan, Rollingfoot has design an office chair out of 100% real skateboard parts. The resulting chair is called the Isukebo and is the perfect touch for modern casual offices. The skateboard chair puts a smile on your face, it was designed for skateboard enthusiasts who’d want to deck out their office with the latest and greatest skateboard gear!
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OfficePOD – Garden Office Space
OfficePOD is a prefabricated garden office space that is designed to be self contained and modular – allowing it to be easily installed in ones garden with minimal disruption. At 2.1m x 2.1m it is small and compact, something which is ideal for the typical cramped UK garden! Inside the OfficePOD provides a cleanly designed and comfortable workspace, key features include the innovative storage space which is unique in that it creates a stylish yet space saving solution.
Nestlé Lab – Mexico
This Nestlé flavour lab was designed by Rojkind Arquitectos, located in Querétaro Mexico the lab is where Nestlé concocts its various products and flavours. This is the second building which Rojkind Arquitectos has created for Nestlé, the first being the Nestlé chocolate museum in 2007.
This project faced some unique challenges, chief among which was the fact that Querétaro is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and so as a result of this fact there were many restrictions placed on the type of buildings that can go up and the way in which they can do so. The building is bright and bold, yet elegant and unassuming in silhouette. We especially love the playful notes that can be seen throughout the design, almost giving it a mad scientist feel befitting of any laboratory!
[Pictures Via]