Would you work in a "coconut" office?
Well, these ergonomic offices of the future may make a lot of sense, if you telecommute or want to have your own home-office away from the everyday household din (noises).
These coconut-shaped offices are actually called pods. They are manufactured by the UK-based company, Archipod (pronounced ‘ark-ee-pod’, as in ‘architecture).
Pods are a great way to conserve on energy and make use of recycled materials, right in your own back or front yard.
They are spherical in shape and look like your ordinary coconut. However,they are energy-efficient and eco-friendly and can be placed in your garden:
The office's exterior is made up of reused timber (cedar shingles) from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)- registered suppliers or from surplus manufacturing.
(The Forest Stewardship Council is an independent, non-governmental, Non-Profit organization
established to promote the responsible management of the world's forests.
The FSC is also a certification system that provides internationally recognized standard-setting, trademark assurance and accreditation services to companies, organizations, and communities interested in responsible forestry).
The interior walls are made of recycled fiberglass. They are encased in a high-performance foil insulation that is covered by plasterboard, which also has a vapor barrier.
According to article, "Archipod's Pod is an energy-efficient eco-friendly garden office",from Gizmag:
"The porthole windows are made from double-glazed stainless steel, whilst the dome roof is of double-skinned carbonate that harnesses natural light and ventilation.
The Pod is prefabricated in sections – so that if your garden is hard to access, the Pod can be carried through your house. It measures approximately three meters (about ten feet) in diameter and has a height of two and a half meters (about eight feet).
It comes with an ergonomic semicircular desk that has cable management below it.
Custom-made drawer units and hardwood desktops are available by request.
The timber floor contains fiberglass insulation and the foundations are made up of concrete or steel posts.
The Pod is made-to-order and starts at around £12,000 (about US $20,000). This includes the insulated Pod, cedar shingles, door, window, glazed roof, foundations and full installation."
According to the above Gizmag article, the Pod can be used in a variety of other ways – like a playroom, teenager retreat, or even an extra entertainment area.
Please see Archipod's website for more details.
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Well, what do you think?
Would you buy a pod if you worked from home or telecommuted?
What do you think of the price?
Do you think this could work in Jamaica?.. or would the walls and entire structure have to be made of different materials, to withstand hurricanes and earthquakes?
(I would like to thank Stanley Lieber for the use of his Flickr inset photo of the pod. Other photos can be obtained from Archipod's website).
Gillian
Sources Include
1) The Forest Stewardship Council's website, accessed, February 3,2010.
2) Article, "Archipod's Pod is an energy-efficient eco-friendly garden office", by Jude Garvey, GizMag.com, January 31,2010
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