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The Archipod. Round and Radical Prefab Office Space.




In the interest of fairness (and interesting blogging), I've featured a fabulous Polyhedron shaped office and garden pod, so now, I have to give some press to this wonderful round one!




The Archipod is a prefabricated red cedar shingle-clad insulated structure that opens with a gullwing door. The spherical unit is complete with a built in ergonomic desk, drawers , porthole windows and skylight and is wired with dimmable lights, an electric heater, outlets, a phone line and even a smoke alarm!




The Archipod has a porthole window which allows the natural light to come in and one can order special custom drawers and hardwood veneered desktops. Carpet is also available by request.

The gullwing front door, which has gas strut assistance, comes with a push handle and deadlock:


The curved built in desk measures just over 10 feet and is available in 30 different colors of Marmoleum® linoleum:


The structure is prefabricated in sections that are sized to allow all the parts to be carried through a house, so it doesn’t matter where you live, we will be able to get the ‘Pod’ into your back garden.

Because of its unique shape and the generous natural light from the roof dome, the ‘Pod’ actually looks bigger on the inside than the outside.






'The Pod' Floor Plan & Specs:

Size: 2.9m diameter internally at the widest point x 2.5m to top of dome.
Walls:
* Curved plywood structural box with encapsulated fibreglass insulation, plasterboard finish internally on high performance foil insulation and vapour barrier to a standard that exceeds current building regulations.
* Fully plastered and decorated after installation, so no visible internal jointing strips.
External cladding:
* Western Red Cedar shingles, blue label grade, on breathable waterproof membrane on battens.
* Cedar shingles are available treated or untreated.
Glazing:
* fatpod section1.0m diameter hinged double skin polycarbonate roof dome to maximise natural light and ventilation.
* Double glazed stainless steel porthole window.
Electrics:
* 8nr Dimmable spotlights
* Concealed background mood lighting, separately switched from spotlights.
* 3nr 13amp Power outlets (these can be extended below the desk using the cable management to provide more outlets.)
* Electric panel heater
* Consumer Unit with MCB’s for power and lighting. (Connection to the house or mains supply is not included – we recommend that an RCD is fiited to the supply end of the incoming SWA cable)
* Data outlet for connection of phone lines
* Smoke alarm
* Fused spur or socket for connection of a security alarm)
Desk:
* An ergonomic semicircular desk, 700mm deep and an effective curved length of 3.1m, finished in a range of ‘Marmoleum® Real’ colours to the customers choice, with 2 cable grommets in the top and cable management below. (see the full range of available Marmoleum® Real and Dual colours, go here)
* Bespoke drawer units and hardwood wood veneered desktops are available by special request.
Floor:
* Suspended timber floor with 70mm fibreglass insulation and high performance quilt.
* Floor covering is generally not included, as this enables customers to choose to suit their own requirements. However, we can provide fitted carpet if required. We recommend that carpet is fitted with underlay to improve comfort and acoustics.
Foundations:
* Concrete pads or steel posts, depending onpon ground conditions.
Door:
* Top hinged gullwing door, with gas strut assistance
* Push handles and deadlock.


For further info
archipod
Director: Chris Sneesby
Registered Office: Unit 4, Handley Park
Elvington Ind Est
York Road, Elvington
North Yorkshire, YO41 4AR

Email: info@archipod.co.uk

Seeing Skulls. James Hopkins' Vanitas.



above: James Hopkins, Decadence and Demise, 2006 (image courtesy of hamburger-kunsthalle)

Skulls, skulls, skulls. They are everywhere these days. But Artist James Hopkins at least has a diference take on them. He has a series of mixed media pieces called Vanitas in which random objects and furniture are composed to create the image or illusion of human skulls.

The term "Vanitas" (sometimes the term "Momento Mori" is used in its place) comes from a practice in which Dutch painters put symbolic imagery of death into their still lives during the 17th century.


above: Last Chord, James Hopkins

Hopkins has created a contemporary version of the practice and is quoted in a Wallpaper Magazine interview in 2006 as saying: ‘I think of vanity when I see my image in the mirror, of knowledge when I read a book, and of indulgence when I drink wine or play music; but all of these things are lost in acknowledgment of seeing the skull reveal itself.’

Black Still Life, 2007 and Consumption & Consequence, 2006:

Design for Life, 2006 and Prosperity & Decay, 2006:

Wasted Youth, 2006 and Shelf Life, 2006:


However, says Hopkins, ‘I don’t want people to think of these works as being negative or morbid — in fact, they should be read as a celebration of life.’

In addition to this work, John Hopkins has many wonderful pieces. See more of his work here.


Another collection inspired by the Dutch "Vanitas", if you have not yet seen it, is the chair, ottoman and lamp by Vladi Rapoport:

Gauche Protocol - Typographic Scarves Made From Army Surplus.




An advertising Art Director and Copywriter have just started their own fashion label, with type and a twist.



German-born copywriter Annette Spörel has collaborated with Catalan graphic designer/art director Saül Serradesanferm (both shown above) to start an interesting unisex fashion accessory label named GAUCHE PROTOCOL. The Barcelona-based brand is dedicated to sourcing new and recycled army surplus and transforming it through the application of text.



They have begun the line with seven 100% wool scarves whose patterns are printed snippets of conversation. Produced in limited editions of 300 each, the scarves can be worn by men or women and in numerous ways.




According to their website, their selection is made based on "a profound love for the written word and an intuitive sense for the popular, the unpopular and the workings of contemporary interpersonal communication". Sounds like advertising creatives to me :)

Claim Your Right To be Contemporary scarf:

Reach Out For The Greater Good scarf:

This Is Only The Beginning scarf:

As Long As It Looks Good scarf:

I Am Not Who you Are Looking For scarf:

I Don't Break Hearts
scarf:

I Don't Know scarf:


Scarves are just the beginning... belts, bags and other items will be added to the collection soon.



2018 UPDATE: Sadly, GAUCHE PROTOCOL scarves are no longer in business
•HAMPTONS, Passeig del Born 24 (Born), Barcelona, Spain
•SUSPECT, Passatge del Crèdit 8 (Gòtic), Barcelona, Spain
•THEGOMEZ, Bulevard Rosa, Local 10, Passeig de Gràcia 55-57 (Eixample), Barcelona, Spain
•DOBLE A, C/ Fuencarral 45, Madrid, Spain
•LABORATORIO CAPRI, Via Ignazio Cerio 6, Capri, Italy

Coloring Book Couture. Dressing Between The Lines In A Dress You Color In Yourself.




Amsterdam-based graphic designer Michiel Schuurman and and textile designer Berber Soepboer collaborated on this fabulous bit of Fashion DIY.



The "Colour-In" dress is a black and white graphic print dress that is actually sold with colored textile markers, so you can color in the pattern yourself.




Fifty dresses were produced in four different sizes and if, still available, they run 238 euros (without shipping).


The completed dress below was colored in by Michiel, but you can do yours any way you'd like:



Sizes in cm:
- A: chest 81,6 cm, waist 58,4 cm, base width 164,8 cm
- B: chest 89,6 cm, waist 66,4 cm, base width 172,8 cm
- C: chest 97,6 cm, waist 74,4 cm, base width 180,8 cm
- D: chest 105,6 cm, waist 82,4 cm, base width 188,8 cm
and in inches:
- A: chest 32.1 in., waist 23 in., base width 64.9 in.
- B: chest 35.3 in., waist 26.1 in., base width 68 in.
- C: chest 38.4 in., waist 29.3 in., base width 71.2 in.
- D: chest 41.6 in., waist 32.4 in., base width 74.3 in.

Order a dress by sending an email to soepboerschuurman@gmail.com mentioning your name, address, number and size.

Relax Like Royalty In This Moroccan-Style Rental Home On The Island Of Bequia



The Mangwana House (also known as The Bequia House) designed by Edgley Design is a large modern and inviting home in a stunning locale, available for rent or for photoshoots through Grenadine Escape.

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