Shedworking awards 2011

For literally the second time ever, we're presenting the annual Shedworking Awards. It's been another fine 12 months for shedlike microarchitecture and many thanks to everybody who's visited the site, commented and who replied to our Readers' Award call for votes on Twitter. So here we go with the first envelope...

Best design - There were some extraordinary designs this year from the very unboxlike Tetra Shed to Google's marvellous indoor shedworking facilities in London. We also particularly liked Office Sian's awardwinning Hackney Shed and the historic medieval garden office. But the winner this year is the ecofriendly garden office in Nigel Nunnett's RBC Wild Garden at Chelsea Flower Show: built from a recycled shipping container and with a lovely green roof plus habitat walls, it was a perfect example of how shedworking can be beautiful and functional.

Best blog/web site - As always, Lloyd Alter at Treehugger and Kent Griswold at Tiny House Blog brought intelligent writing and intriguing tiny architecture to a wider audience. The winner though was Christian 'Documentally' Payne who devoted an entire blog - DocuDen - to his new garden office and as you'd expect from one of the UK's leading social technologists, used all sorts of material to make it a rich experience to visit.

Best Tweeter – We saw a lot more shedworkers tweeting about and from their garden office space but none did it with the panache of writer Joanne Harris (@joannechocolat) who presented us with an almost daily dose of shed-based thoughts.

Best popularisation of shedworking – Unbound is a groundbreaking publishing project which relies on crowdsourced funding. It was launched at the Hay Festival in the summer (with a little help from Shedworking) in a 3rdSpace Garden Room designed and built on site by Sawhorse. Not only does the Unbound web site use shed imagery heavily, but the festival presence brought the concept of shedworking to tens of thousands of visitors.

Readers' Award - Some of you were kind enough to nominate the charity ebook The Happy Shedworker in this category, launched earlier in the year to raise money for Shelter. But by some distance, the winner was the Irish Men’s Sheds Association’s which launched with a bang and looks set to build on that early success, bringing the idea of shedworking to a wider audience around the country.

Lifetime achievement award – Brighton-based John 'Shedman' Davies has been writing poetry about sheds and using sheds in his festival visits and workshops since well before Shedworking was established. Not only is he a talented writer and communicator, using sheds in the most creative way possible, but he's a delightful and thoughtful chap too.
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Grid: indoor shedworking

No room for a garden office but still want some shedworking flavour? Another example for the indoor shedworking folder, Grid by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Established & Sons is aimed at the home office/live-work market. They describe it as a "colourful room-within-a-room" with flexibly modular possibilities for seating, shelving, tables and screens, "a playful and multifunctional environment for informal meetings, presentations or simply hanging out". It's made from powder-coated steel and the standard L-shaped module has two 2.5m sides, enclosed by gridded panels for that sheddish feel and can be upholstered rather than left plain with that slighly cagey look. They also recommend an U-shaped formation.
 
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Pause: Indoor garden office

If you don't have space in the garden for a garden office, there are of course many examples of indoor shedworking from which to take inspiration. Here's another, Pause by Maurizio Prina who describes it as an 'indoor hut'. Here's what he says about it:

These days cosiness is a very rare luxury, so I’ve thought about a space where anybody can relax, read, rest and even have guests. Where anybody can feel at home. An “home inside a home”. This hut is composed by modules made with colored cloth, built over an iron structure.You can change the colors and combine them. This name is a declaration of intents and it has a meaning in different languages: pause.

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Monkworking: The Monastery

This is one of the most relaxing indoor shedworking structures we've seen on Shedworking. It's for Netlife Research (a 'user-experience consultancy') and is the work of Eriksen Skajaa Architects who were asked to rethink Netlife's offices to create new spaces for reflection and creativity. Their response? "When faced with the challenge of how to create three spaces for silence and the occasional phone call we proposed a Monastery with a monastery garden."

The walls are white pigmented birch veneer and the inner partitioning is based on the remains of existing brick walls. There are various niches dotted around, some to house plants, others big enough to be windows, and one serving as a bench. A lovely space in which to work.

Photos by Ivan Brodey.

Via dezeen

Indoor shedworking

Another excellent video from Kirsten Dirksen at fair companies looks at the building of an internal shedworking atmosphere with bedroom element in London designed by atmos studio (click for lots more photos). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Kirshenbaum Bond & Partners West: indoor shedworking

The idea of working in a shedlike atmosphere is starting to become a common sight in modern architects' designs for new offices. Here's a lovely one from Jensen Architects and here's what they say about it:

A unique three-wing conference building serves as the focal point of this office for advertising agency Kirshenbaum Bond & Partners West. The structure houses four meeting rooms, each with its own unique configuration and material treatment. The three wings are separated by acoustically sealed folding doors, which can be opened to merge the rooms into a single meeting hall. A stadium stair functions as a place for company-wide meetings and informal gatherings and provides access to the mezzanine. A green carpet-clad phone booth structure for conference calls, an indoor garden and a sixteen-foot dining counter animate this colorful, lively office.

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Rughut: indoor shedworking

It's a rug. No, it's not, it's a hut. No it's not, it's the Rughut, a very special shedlike atmosphere for the indoor shedworker by Myung Jieun as exhibited at red dot. Spread the rug out on the floor and then when you want a little more privacy tug it up in the middle and attach it to a hook on the ceiling. And voila, a little bit of me space large enough for you and your laptop.Via the constantly delicious materialicious
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Podtime: outdoor sleep pods

Siestas, as any fule kno, are a good thing. So for your shed-based sleeping needs, there is now the Podtime sleep pod. Most of the designs are for companies looking to provide employees with an indoor napping solution or as Podtime put it "a sanctuary for rest in an otherwise busy environment" but we're more intrigued by their flatpack outdoor model called the Double Pod made of wood and plastic.

These are a bit larger than the indoor ones at 1.2m high and 2m x 1.9m floor area and come in at £950 as opposed to £1,375 (plus VAT) with a simpler design and build (the indoor ones are a bit more plush). It comes with either a standard double mattress or double airbed and has lockable doors (key or non key) - optional extras include power sockets. As well as snoozing in there, you could also do some shedworking. Maybe.

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Garden offices, privacy pods, and 2016's work trends

An interesting article by Alison Coleman at Virgin.com about workplace trends for this year. She looks at privacy pods (the kind of indoor shedworking ideas that have become very common in recent years, such as the Nuovo above), roof gardens and general wellbeing. Here's a snippet:

Some believe that 2016 will be the year of the garden office, a trend that has already become hugely popular with growing numbers of home workers and entrepreneurs who need a dedicated workspace in their home. Charlie Lear, design consultant at Harrison James Garden Rooms, says: "The ability to do more with less is invaluable when it comes to developing a start-up business. Working from the home in a dedicated environment, such as a garden office, ensures that your most precious assets of time, energy and money are maximised."

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Indoor shedworking: Brigitte

Brigitte is a shedlike atmosphere by Enrique Illanez Schoenenberger made out of small wooden tiles which are sewn together then draped over a metal frame, inspired by a traditional (though disappearing) roof-building technique from Switzerland. Inside is a bench which helps to keep it stable. Initially it was built to be used outdoors - Enrique estimates the structure is good for 20 years of outdoor use and specifically describes it as a 'garden shed' - but now believes it serves a better purpose inside. Here's what he says: "Clearly present in this project is the notion of time. Everything is getting faster nowadays – why is that? Do we want or need things to go quickly? Brigitte invites people to take the time to rest. The second aspect of time can be found in the wooden tiles."
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Garden office garden

If you're wondering how to bring the garden into your garden office, here's some inspiration from architects HOK London. Their new eco-friendly offices feature a large area of artificial grass where people can work or relax. It also has deckchairs and a picnic table. More about indoor shedworking here.
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Nu-Ovo

Another entry for the indoor shedworking file (although it can also be placed outdoors), the Nu-Ovo from Tisettanta is designed by Paolo Maldotti: split into eight segments of plywood frame, six are fixed and two are removeable, the whole thing mounted on a metallic base which can be rotated. Nice.

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Haus pods

Apparently inspired by the story of the Three Little Pigs, here is Alexander Lotersztain's shedlike creation Haus, ideal for indoor shedworking or for when the weather is fine.
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Slippers and shedworking: Working from home footwear - Part 1

The Shedworking staff are long-term slipper-wearers (pictured above). But just how good are they for your feet? We asked podiatrist and biomechanics expert Christophe Champs, founder of the PODO Clinic and Workshop in London, for his thoughts. So here, in a two-part guest post concluding tomorrow, is what he says...

Anyone who is serious about working from home knows that it is important to assign an appropriate space as a working environment and to source the right kit. Depending on the form your work takes, that equipment may include a decent ring light and a good external camera and mic. But surrounding yourself with good tech isn’t enough. Just because you’re not in a corporate workspace you’re not absolved from putting some thought into health and safety issues, and this may see you investing in a sit and stand desk, an ergonomic chair, or even blue light glasses. If you’ve got all of that covered, well done. But take a look down – at your feet. Are those slippers you’re wearing?

 

Slippers are convenient, feet go in and out within seconds. But this doesn’t make them the healthiest form of footwear. Their shape is not supportive and the materials they are made of are not reinforced.

 

Ideally anything you have on your feet for a long period should offer proper support and protection.

 

Providing your feet, which make up one quarter of your skeleton, with minimal support can negatively affect your aging body (however young you are).

 

Slippers can also contribute to falls. And as older and more vulnerable people are the number one users of slippers and the most at risk of a fall, it is not a great combination.

 

The more support your shoes can give you the less unbalanced and unstable you will be, and therefore the less likely you are to slip, trip or fall. And this applies to any age group.  So, choose a pair of comfy shoes for indoor wearing that offer support and then use them as you would a comfy pair of slippers.

 

Slippers are the chocolate of footwear: lovely, but not good for you if you have it all day, every day. 

Lockdown lessons

The lockdowns have shown us how dangerous slippers can be for our health.

 

In my experience, the number of people suffering joint pain has increased since the first lockdown, and this is as a direct result of people wearing unsupportive slippers at home for long periods while working.

 

When travelling to the office and working with other people, most of us wear shoes, not slippers and this helps to support and cushion our feet. But take this away and swap it for spending the entire day barefoot or with slippers on a hard floor and it is no surprise that joint and foot pain has increased.

 

Another change is the reduction in walking when working from home. When we walk (and I mean walk, not just take a few steps) we swing our arms, and this helps to take some of the load off the feet. Walking puts around 80% off the load on your feet, whereas stepping in an enclosed space with no arm swing applies 120% of your body weight on your feet. In turn this can result in increased joint and muscle pain.

 

Watch out for curly toes

With every step you take in slippers, your toes are forced to grasp the slipper to lift it off the ground and carry it until your next step. This is because your heel is not grabbed by the footwear. When the heal is secured within the shoe it helps to lift the entire shoe and carry it forward even as you bend your foot.

 

Your forefoot is beautifully designed to change direction and adapt to uneven surfaces, but this clever skill should never be overloaded or overused in the way it is with a slip-on slipper.

 

Those who spend a lot of their time on their toes or using their toes to grasp as they walk, often develop toe deformities such as hammer toe and bunions. Plus, the skin under the ball of your foot, as an auto-defence, tends to build up and become hard to cope with the extra pressures applied on the area.

Part 2 of this guest post will appear on Shedworking tomorrow.

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Indoor beer garden office

Another entry for the interior shedworking folder as HubSpot redesign their Cambridge HQ - their expanded property features a large meeting/event space with 'bleacher seating' and an indoor beer garden and coffee house-style café with barista for working.
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Minka pods

Shedworking has assumed various guises over the years and I recently wrote my regular column for the Idler about shedworking in the future including indoor garden offices/pods. Here's another new and fine examaple, the semi-enclosed Minka pod from Duffy London. It's made from powder-coated mild steel and high-grade wood from Forest Stewardship Council-managed forests, mearsuring 2m x 1.8m x 2m, but with a six-person pod also available and a solar version (pictured bottom).

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Finalists shortlist for Shed of the Year announced

The shortlist for Cuprinol Shed of the Year 2023 has been announced with 26 contenders for this year's trophy, £1,000 in cash and £250 worth of Cuprinol products. Among them is shedworking setup The Pamper Cabin, pictured above, a beauty treatment business run by Laura O'Mahony from Dorset. Other favourites among the Shedworking staff are The Frankenshed (below) owned by artist Archie Proudfoot in London:

and the Golden Behinde (below) built by Harry Scott in Suffolk for his grandchildren who are big fans of Francis Drake's iconic Golden Hinde:

Head Judge and Founder of the competition, Uncle Wilco, said: “We’re now in the 17th year of the competition, and each year I am always surprised and delighted by the level of creativity shown by our entrants. It’s incredible what can be done to create a beautiful shed for as little as £150. The new categories have also opened the door to some of the competition’s most colourful creations. It really is too close to call this year. I’d be happy to see any of them win!”
 
Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director at Cuprinol, added: “We’re thrilled to see so many sheds taking inspiration from last year’s winner, Kelly Haworth’s Potting Shed. It’s incredible to see such masterpieces made from reclaimed materials - making small garden improvements really can make such a huge difference regardless of budget.
 
“Equally, we have seen a lot of people go all out with the creation of gorgeous garden escapes for them and their family. I will always advocate for bringing more colour into both indoor and outdoor living spaces. I am constantly in awe of how these sheddies harness their creativity in so many unique ways, to design the perfect garden retreats.”
 
Entrants had the opportunity to enter two new categories this year – Simple but Effective and Colourful – as well as the usual Budget, Cabin/Summerhouse, Nature’s Haven, Pub/Entertainment, Unexpected/Unique and Workshop/Studio classifications.

Public voting for this year’s competition is open now and will run until 13th July 2023. To find out more about each finalist, and cast your vote, go to readersheds.co.uk 

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Indoor meditation hut

A marvellous addition to the interior shedworking collection, this is an indoor meditation shed and tearoom designed and built by Toshi Kasai for teacher of feng shui Chinese medicine Liu Ming. It's an eight-foot cube erected in his loft in which he eats, sleeps and works. Here's what he told the New York Times about it:

“In feng shui, we talk about the harmony in the place that you live in,” Mr. Liu says. “The cube evolved out of wanting cozy with the option of keeping a big, open space at the same time. And we added wheels for feng shui purposes. Now that it is portable, I can spin it on an axis, I can point my head and point my desk in different compass directions for different projects. If I am writing something and feel blocked, I can get up and move the room.”

Lots more information and photos at Kasai's Spaceflavor website.
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Simba slippers product review

It's just as important to have proper work clothes when you're in your garden office (or home office in general) as it is for a 'traditional' office environment. Footware is a key element of the outfit and I have always firmly believed that slippers are just the right thing, bridging the gap between socks only (a bit slack) and shiny office shoes (a bit over the top).

Over the last week or so I have been roadtesting Simba's Rok slippers which the company (which also produces mattresses and bedding) was kind enough to ship across to Shedworking HQ for review.

To be honest, my initial expectations were not high since I prefer a slipper with a half-decent back to it. But while there is a bit more clippity-clop in my step wearing these moccasin-style models than my usual Grandpa varieties, I actually got used to that aspect of them pretty quickly.

Like the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius, what I'm really after in a slipper is 'firmitas', 'utilitas', and 'venustas' - they need to be sturdy, functional, and aesthetically pleasing. 

They're certainly solid. My current slippers are very much indoor beasts and the soles wear out quite quickly, but these have a firm rubber sole and I've already successfully used them outside (to sort out the bins). In terms of functionality they definitely do the job, keeping my feet warm and stopping me slipping around on my socks - I also have quite wide feet and the adjustable buckle is very welcome (and I'd size up, as they recommend, if you lash out for a pair - I'm an 11 and the 12 is a good fit for me). And they look very nice, with a merino and calf-leather finish. I'm not embarrassed to be seen in them which is the gold standard for slippers.

Simba make a big thing of the reflexology cushioning of the slipper: "The soft top layer features nine stimulating support points, filled with a unique gel which gently massages your feet for overall wellbeing and comfort." I'm less sure about how effective this is, that my slippers will somehow have a positive effect on my kidneys or front sinus, but it's early days still and maybe they will give my lower back and spine the makeover they most surely need.

Finally, a word on price. They are by some distance the most expensive slippers I've worn. I usually get mine from Marks & Spencer which are somewhere in the £30-£40 range. So these at £89 are knocking on for three times that. However, I do have to replace my M&S ones quite regularly due to the heavy ride I give them and I suspect that my Simbas will prove to have a much longer life and so far better value. Only time will tell.

But overall, if you're looking to invest in some decent slippers, the Simbas get the much sought-after Shedworking seal of approval. 

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