Office

Two converted shipping containers (left) now house offices for Shoup’s design/build firm. “Perhaps the most successful aspect of turning this into a place to live and an office rather than just have this shop space was moving it towards real indoor-outdoor living,” he says. Taya Shoup, a landscape designer, has refined her husband’s vision for the property with a courtyard and plantings. Photo by building Lab inc.

Agustín Hernandez's home office.

Each shed is customizable via a recently launched interactive online tool and range from $120-150 per square foot. With more people working from home, backyard offices offer a physical barrier between life and work, this one in Walnut Creek, California, has a FullLite glass front elevation.

Muuto lamps draw attention to the tall ceilings. The office chairs are Herman Miller's ergonomic Aeron Chairs.

The abstract geometry of the exterior allows for unique openings and this sklylight, which provides natural light to the staff throughout the day. "One of my ambitions is to place openings, windows, and roof lights strategically, so you get a sense of the time of day and the weather," says Brooks.

The study features floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors that bring the outdoors in. Space-saving custom walnut desks are accented by a Pixo Optical LED Table Lamp, an AJ table lamp, and a 1958 Eames Management Chair.

Mike's second-floor office features locally-sourced cabinetry. Photo credit: Dale Christopher Lang PhD AIAP

The ENSAMBLE Project, as the system is known, includes smaller panels for subdividing desks. Perforations allow office accessories to be hung within easy reach, like a pegboard.

Lightweight and configurable, the designers see the system as a flexible solution for workspaces, as well as schools, libraries, and emergency shelters.