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 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 second-floor office is housed inside a rounded rectangle of concrete that the architect inserted on top of the old farmhouse.

For this tiny house in the Belgian forest, a little extra square footage comes in the form of a glassed-in addition with a stellar view. The added space is home to an office.

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.

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.