Office

Agustín Hernandez's home office.

A work station in the couple's 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.

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.

Concrete is used for the walls and ceiling and stone for the floors to maintain an urban, industrial feeling.

Collaborating with Arauco, the Andes House tested the durability of cholguán by exposing it to liquid. To their surprise, they found the material survived but bent gently, revealing that it could be shaped to divide offices.

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.

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.