Own office, NYC, September - October  2007

Since my subtenants and I have a background in skateboarding, I wanted to design desks that we would enjoy working on as much as we liked standing on our skateboards. They are made out of 3/4” plywood with rounded edges and corners and have a secret shelf built in which also functions as a structural element.

The curved walls are a reference to half- pipes and encourage one to circulate around them in an elegant way. They separate zones for the two independent firms, form a shared meeting room and hide a storage area. These walls visually and acoustically create privacy without obstructing the space. On one side they serve as bookshelves and model display cases and on the other, due to the softness of Homasote, presentations and ideas can be pinned up.

Homasote is one of the oldest green materials and is made out of 100% recycled paper. It is normally used as acoustic insulation and has no structural integrity. By laminating two 1/2” boards with simple wood glue and putting the back panel under tension these shelves become strong enough to hold their designated content, or even a spontaneously dancing co-worker or client.