Office

The playroom later became Xenia’s office.

A work station in the couple's office.

Zoë plays with a model in the office.

Here's what you need to know before undergoing a building project with a contractor but no architect.

The pair of desks that Paul and Shoko work at in the office space look directly onto the courtyard. The concept for the design was to be able to see the sky from your seat at the desk.

Design Army's work-a-day tools and design library.

Although Design Army is a technologically cutting edge design firm, projects still need to be handcrafted sometimes. An upper shelf holds their design awards overflow from the conference room and Pum's hats add a bit of swagger to the red head mannequins above.

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 loft addition afforded space for a home office and music area. The family chose to forego a dedicated office upstairs, instead prioritizing private bedrooms for each of the children. Shelving and a built-in desk anchor the loft’s far wall.

Design studio the Andes House saw potential for an office system in an unlikely material. Cholguán, a natural, lightweight composite wood board that's commonly found in industrial packaging and backing for furniture, has been manufactured by the Chilean forestry company Arauco for over 50 years.

Pricing is not yet available for ENSAMBLE, but a single board of cholguán retails for about $5. By keeping assembly simply and using glue to join the system, the Andes House hopes to make it a cost-effective solution for the office and beyond.