Shedworking in America

An excellent piece by Ann Handley looks at the prospective joys of garden offices in America. Here's a snippet:

"Inside, there’s a rich red-oak floor that reminds me of what I imagine the inside of a bourbon barrel might look like. The walls are still rough for now, because (as my artist-son Evan says), you have to work in a studio for a while before you recognize what you need it to give you."

Well worth a browse. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Candida Lycett Green: friend of Shedworking

As you'll have guessed by the lack of recent posts, the Shedworking staff has been on holiday. So we were particularly sad to return to the news that the author, television presenter and general allround good egg Candida Lycett Green (who was also the daughter of poet John Betjeman) died last week at the far too early age of 71. Candida regularly got in touch when she saw intriguing shedlike atmospheres and was very supportive when the garden at Shedworking HQ was badly flooded last summer. She will be much missed.

@shedworking. Did you know that Mistley in Essex used to be called 'Sciddinghoo' meaning 'Hill of shed workers'?
— Candida Lycett Green (@CandLycettGreen) October 15, 2013

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Wednesday posts are sponsored by The Stable Company®, the UK's premier supplier of garden offices and garden rooms. Click here

A hut on the street

A shedlike meeting room from Japanese architect Tsubasa Iwahashi which is actually a communal space where people can relax rather than hanging around in their 'normal' offices, although it is also used as a meeting room. --------------------------------------------------------

Friday posts are sponsored by Warwick Buildings, manufacturers of outstanding quality timber buildings. Click here for more information.

Dovecote Studio

Dovecote Studio, Haworth Tompkins's build on the Snape Maltings campus in Suffolk, has a won a roomful of awards for its loveliness. Built into the ruined dovecoate on site, the shedworking atmosphere for artists and musicians was craned in. Among the many delights is the mezzanine platform with a writing desk and window looking out over the marshes towards the sea.  Here's what they say about it:

"Only the minimum necessary brickwork repairs were carried out to stabilise the existing ruin prior to the new structure being inserted. Decaying existing windows were left alone and vegetation growing over the dovecote was protected to allow it to continue a natural process of ageing and decay. The interior walls and ceiling of the space are lined with spruce plywood to create a timber 'box' within the Cor-ten shell."

Lots more excellent photos at their site.
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Wednesday posts are sponsored by The Stable Company®, the UK's premier supplier of garden offices and garden rooms. Click here

How sheds explain modern Russian life

A remarkable essay by Vitaly Kurennoj at the Calvert Journal which shows how in Russia "sheds and garages are more than just a handy storage space, they're a way of life". It's not the kind of garden office shedworking we normally showcase but it's a fascinating read with excellent photos. Here's a snippet:

"The garage is a huge fragment of Soviet culture that has survived in the modern-day Russian city. It is the most important element of a so-called dispersed way of life. Like the dacha, the garage divided the household between several living quarters. Simon Kordonsky,  the academic who introduced this concept of the dispersed way of life, sees the garage and the dacha as secret storage spaces, places where you can accumulate different supplies to guard yourself against any possible government repressions."

Well worth a browse. Photo: Vitaly Kurennoj. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tuesday posts are sponsored by Garden Spaces, suppliers of contemporary garden buildings, offices, gyms and studios, many of which do not require planning

Poetry cabin

Poetry cabin for the young Poet Laureate @warsan_shire in @noordinarypark pic.twitter.com/A1oS5zMLg4
— The Brokedown Palace (@TheBrokedownPal) July 26, 2014

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Monday posts are sponsored by garden2office, the Swedish garden office specialists. Click here for more details.

Shed of the Year on television tonight

First one tonight at 8pm on Channel 4, then next two Thursdays. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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