Hospital pods

As well as the increased use of shedlike atmospheres in schools, there has been a definite rise in the use of similar structures within hospitals, as we've recorded here on Shedworking. Another entry in this folder is the latest installation from officepod at the Whittington Hospital, London. Here's what they say about the build:

"The hospital is typical of the many organisations that find themselves under intense pressure to make the best possible use of their resources, including their real estate. And of course, ensuring that patients and staff are provided with a wide range of suitable accommodation is a key objective. In this instance, OfficePOD were asked to create a consultation room from which the hospital benefits in two ways; firstly, this important facility occupies otherwise difficult space in an atrium setting and, secondly, it frees up a room elsewhere for clinical use."

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Gun turrets: the ultimate man pad?

Clive Milner, General Manager at Leafield Logistics, has been in touch, wondering if he has come across what he describes as "the ultimate man pad". They're spacious, they're solid, they're in need of a little imaginative décor. Yes, they're 4.5” gun turrets from a Royal Navy ship.

"They weigh in at around 1 and half tons," explains Clive "but are a roomy 3m x 4 m with head room of around 3m so there's plenty of space. A lot of the shell is fibreglass so is easily painted to get away from the gloomy grey colour. They come complete with viewing windows where the gun and other items used to protrude from the structure.

"We have received seven in various states of repair and some still contain wiring and control boxes inside the turret which could remain as a unique feature and ladders on the roof which might be useful for adjusting the satellite dish once it’s installed. They have only just arrived with us so we haven’t had the chance to prove the idea but I am sure your readers might be able to suggest novel ways to utilise the space..."

@shedworking You'd need some insulation. Nice shape for building into the ground, insulated with turf.

— Ruth Slavid (@archifreelance) December 6, 2012

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Writer Seeks 20-second Commute

The fine folk at Colorado-based Studio Shed put out a regular e-newsletter thing which is well worth subscribing to. In their most recent one, they focus on Marco and Kayla Morelli who together run a graphic design firm, both work at home, and both dislike commuting. Here's a snippet:

“But once our daughter needed a room of her own, there went my office,” said Marco. He quickly realized that, while Kayla was comfortable working anywhere in the house, what he needed wasn’t just a new “space to work” – he needed a space-all-his-own offering privacy, flexible hours, few interruptions and, most of all, quiet.

The Morellis then considered converting their attic into living space but decided that the cost and disruption involved in a major home renovation were not optimal. Finally they turned their gaze towards the untapped space in their own backyard. Bingo, they thought: this is it. With this we get everything we want, with minimal pain involved.

So they went for a Studio Shed backyard office, facing south for warmth in winter and shade in summer, with radiant-heated Brazilian slate floors which sound rather nice. The commute is 20 seconds.
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Beccy Smart: wagonworker

Photographer Beccy Smart has recently become a wagonworker. "The one I bought is based on the design of a Victorian bathing hut, crossed with a shepherd's hut," she explains. "I use it as a photography studio and keep it in a small yard in east London. The idea started with finding a quiet space where I could 'escape'... I was looking at beach huts, which didn't quite fit what I needed, and then suddenly I found this... The chap who built it did so to a high spec (he used to build boats) and it is beautifully finished, with a double bunk, a fold out desk, and even a mini wood burning stove."

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Jardiburo: French shedworking

The concept of shedworking continues to take off around the world. Here's our latest find, Jardiburo, based in Tours. As they say:

"Face aux problématiques liées au travail depuis son domicile, JardiBuro a développé une gamme complète de bureaux de jardin. Destinée à tous les propriétaires de maisons individuelles disposant d’un jardin ou d’un terrain qui leur est propre, l’offre de JardiBuro vise à améliorer les conditions de travail des télétravailleurs et des indépendants."

There is an intriguing catalogue here. Options include douche, kitchenette, chauffage au sol, panneau solaire, assurance, and système d'alarm.

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Shed Sunday

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"Granny pods"

"A US company has a new suggestion for where to put the nation’s booming elderly population: “Granny pods.” The number of Americans over the age of 65 is expected to more than double over the next 40 years, to 88 million. If N2Care, a company being started in Virginia, proves successful, many of the baby-boomers could see out their twilight years in high-tech sheds in their children’s gardens. The official name for the new type of dwelling is a MEDCottage. The units, which measure 12 ft by 24 ft, are self-contained miniature houses."

More at The Times(£)

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