Office

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

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.

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.

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.