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specialists.
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"I think it would be fantastic if enlightened councils adapted allotments for shedworking. Think about it: All the benefits of shedworking but you still have the journey to work to enforce that life/work separation, but now it's a five minute walk to the allotment and not an hour on the M25. There's actually nothing in the allotment legislation to prevent shedworking as long as it's a side use of the allotment, it would just take a bit of investment in power and telecoms, but even that would pay because shedworkers could afford to contribute to a nice site hut with loo, etc so everyone wins. Bit of a dream I know, but wouldn't it be great if every office worker were to become an allotmenteering shedworker; I'd have to leave my job working on the canals an go back to writing software."What do readers think?
"The scale of Pavilion gives the impression that this is architecture rather than sculpture - both ironical and apt, as an abiding interest in architecture lies at the roots of Hartley's sculpture and wall pieces. In fact this is a massive light box, in which carefully lit interior constructions and photographic panels give the illusion of rooms, steps, corridors and structures. The overhanging canopy and stone forecourt reinforce its presence as architecture, but nothing adds up and we are left mesmerised."And here's what Hartley says about it:
"I'd like viewers to feel themselves pulled towards it, and find that the views inside Pavilion look more real than the urban space surrounding it."
"...it's like a wish for a slightly different angle on things... It might be a view of the same old life, but from out here it will look different, the outlines of the self a little more distinct... a space where I enjoyed a certain sovreignty, where I could shut my door and maintain my desk in a state easily mistaken for chaos..."An absolutely essential volume.
"The structure is built out of wood that took from old pallets. The floor is pallets that they use to bolt down large equipment during transit. The interior walls, door, and window are As-Is, damaged, items from the local IKEA. I got the paint and carpet sample free from work. I did buy the roof boards and some extra 2x4s. The roof is covered with rubber desk mats that I found on the side of the road. It is about 95% found material or recycled from trash people put on the street. The coolest part of the whole fort is that the IKEA flooring on the interior wall are nail, splinter, and snag free."I think this is one of my favourite shedlike atmospheres of 2008. Lots more pictures at his blog.
"I’m beginning to develop a theory that nine square feet is all we really need and that every square foot after that is for added comfort, vanity, or people."The design includes a large porch, sleeping loft, small composting toilet, a 12V DC fridge from Koolatron,a kitchen bay window which will contain a sink and stove, and a Dickinson Marine fireplace plus cabinets and solar panels for electricity generation. He's also building a slightly less tiny Tiny Free House.
"Establish boundaries: You have separate email addresses, you need your own work space. It doesn’t have to be separate rooms, but at least have different desks or work surfaces. Clear boundaries will alleviate the “what about my stuff” argument. Corporations have clear boundaries for desk space for very good reasons - like keeping the peace."Well worth a browse.
"Paul Stankey of HiveModular, along with family and friends, is building a storage barn using pallets from their pals at Loll Designs. The barn is to store materials for the Stankeys’ Rustic Reuse container cabin. What a great idea."There's more details at the blog of the build (although at time of writing there were access problems so do try again later if it's still playing up).
"At its Geneva offices, Procter & Gamble, the consumer products group, has three EnergyPods [pictured above], which resemble loungers with a space-age half-dome wrapped over the headrest, made by a company called Metronaps. "The pods are designed to provide users with a quick recharge that can help maximise the rejuvenating effects of a brief nap," Metronaps says. "This, in turn, helps users do more with their day from both a professional and personal point of view." The pods have proved very popular, especially with sleep-deprived employees such as those with young children and frequent business travellers.". So take a short nap today and let us know how felt.
"Let me preface this comment by saying that I really like the look of the Glassbox product. That being said, their website raises a couple of issues in my mind.I'd be interested to know - as would Bill - what you think of the above. Please comment below.
"1) The site states that pricing starts at 18,000 Pounds plus VAT. The smallest Glassbox plan seems to be 3.3m x 3.3m, or 10.89 sq m (117 sq ft). This puts the cost per square meter of this little Glassbox at something above 1,650 Pounds/sq m (~= $302/sq ft). At least by American standards, this puts the cost well into the area of custom (bespoke) projects. So the question is...what benefits does the customer accrue by purchasing a Glassbox rather than contracting for a customized design?
"2) Alex is correct that they "proudly trump their eco qualities." While some of their claims (especially the "usual" ones) are probably good ones, a few others seem to slip into the category of "greenwashing" (a great new term coined by the publishers of an interesting site on the subject at http://www.greenwashingindex.com/ ). For example, the Glassbox site says, "you will be investing in not only your home but in the future of our planet." Huh? Just how does purchasing a Glassbox bring returns for the future of our planet? Perhaps an argument could be made that a Glassbox is a better eco choice than some other structure, but either way resources are being used, not saved or "producing earnings on an investment." I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with purchasing a Glassbox (or any other shed, addition, extension...) or with consuming the resources necessary to produce that structure. I'm just pointing out that the hyperbole of their claims may not reflect the same honesty and minimalism that their design aesthetic reveals."
"In these days of increasing environmental awareness and rising oil prices, telecommuting is gaining mindshare. Yet employers are still reluctant."This follows CIO Insight Research's Mobility Survey which reveals that just over 50% of CIOs and other senior IT leaders claim their companies discourage fulltime telecommuting (although on the up side, almost one half said that their company's policy had become more pro-telecommuting over the last three years).
"As I entered the allotments for the first time with knowledge of the tennants’ planned eviction, it felt like I was entering a crime scene. Photographing the huts shortly before their elimination transformed them into symbols of an injustice to come."Via Lifeisland.org and The Photographers' Gallery
"It seems we need to S.H.E.D. That’s Julie’s acronym for Separate the treasures (What is truly worth hanging on to?), Heave the trash (What’s weighing you down?), Embrace your identity (Who are you without all your stuff?), and Drive yourself forward (Which direction connects to your genuine self?). Julie’s taken the whole “clean and declutter” out of organizing and placed it in the self-help arena (I see a speaking tour on deck). “When you’re eager to make a change in your life, but you are unsure of your new destination, you need to SHED,” she writes. It’s about purging “the physical and behavioral clutter holding you back so you can finally create real change in your life.” The words “defunct,” “obsolete” and “obligations” were bantied about, juxtoposed with “richer” and “more meaningful.”"Chief Home Officer.
"The homeworking male seems on the face of it to either thrive or be very quickly killed off. Those that make it through the first difficult weeks tend to be a success, benefiting from the relaxed environment and the ability to achieve a good work-life balance. Those that struggle are the more outgoing types. A lack of company or attention, call it what you will, leads them to become stir crazy. Trips to the local pub in search of lunchtime company can be the undoing of the male homeworker. Women are quite good at self-regulating their feelings and how they affect those around them; men tend to become self-absorbed and may not notice changes in their behaviour or work pattern."And her overall conclusion is that a female boss best suits a male homeworker. I'd be very interested to hear what Shedworking's readers think...
"So, if we are running our business from a garden office or home, what else do we need to consider? For a start, most mortgage companies ask us to stipulate whether or not there is a business element to our occupation. We may need to be able to prove to them that we have separate business insurance to cover us for this.Alan also runs a useful blog which is well worth a browse. Many thanks to Alan for putting these posts together - if you are in need of his expertise, you can contact him via his site and blog.
Also, running a business from home may attract the attention of the Valuation Office Agency who will determine whether or not a property will attract business rates. Guidelines for this can be found at www.voa.gov.uk/council_tax/working_from_home.htm, however, as our house remains, substantially, a domestic residence, this is unlikely to be a major issue for us.
When running any business from home, it is important to ensure that we have adequate insurance, to cover us for all eventualities. If we use our garden office or shed simply as a base to perform our administration, then it is likely we can extend our household insurance policy to cover the additional value of equipment kept there. If, on the other hand, we meet clients there, or are considering taking on employees, then we will need to look at taking out a specific, separate business insurance. Small business ‘packages’ are currently available, which cover us for all aspects of business insurance, including public liability, employee liability, business interruption insurance etc. These packages are available from around £250 a year.
"Legislation is constantly being updated, and the only piece of advice that never changes is; always check with your accountant, when looking to claim or calculate these expenses."
"Visitors can produce 125-200 watts while riding the bikes, which goes to power the LED lights illuminating the project at night. And when the exhibit is over, the pallets will go back to being used as pallets and the bikes will be donated away."