Working from home in a busy household? Then a bespoke garden office may sound pretty attractive right now. Here's 5 projects to inspire you to take the plunge with a self-build project.
Image: RISE Design Studio
Working from home is a concept under the microscope right now. While many businesses have been moving towards flexible and remote working options for some time, enforced time spent doing so due to the coronavirus pandemic is sure to raise a wider conversation as more workers and businesses experience it first hand.
If it's something you're seriously considering post-social distancing, finding room for an office in your home if you don't have one already may be top of your agenda, and self-building a garden office is an attractive solution, helping to maintain a separation between your work and home life.
For inspiration as to just how a garden office might work for you, take a look at these 5 builds.
London flat, RISE Design Studio
Image: RISE Design Studio
The garden space was built as part of the remodelling of a London flat. Pink plywood forms the walls, ceiling, desk and storage units, while a large corner window above the desk provides views of the garden and towards the main house. The studio cost £36,000, not including the consultant fees, from RISE Design Studio.
Cork-clad studio, Surman Weston
Image: Surman Weston. Photography: Wai Ming Ng
Spanning almost the entirewidth of this north London garden, architects Surman Weston created a shared work and studio space with a pocket door that opens up the space to the outside. The exterior of the block has been clad in textured cork sheets, while a wild flower planted roof also houses a large rooflight to fill the space with natural light.
Image: Surman Weston. Photography: Wai Ming Ng
Birch plywood lines the interior walls and floors. Bespoke furniture has been crafted from the same material and cantilevered from the walls. It cost £45,000 to design and build.
Shoffice, Platform 5 Architects
Image: Platform 5 Architects
A sculptural design by Platform 5 Architects shows just how far the limits of garden buildings can be stretched. Shoffice, a 7 square metre garden office, is formed with two steel ring beams, timber ribs and a stressed plywood skin. It cost £67,845.
The Light Shed, Richard John Andrews
Image: Richard John Andrews. Photography: Chris Snook
Architect Richard John Andrews set himself a brief to design a cost- effective 16 square metre garden studio for his practice in east London, self-building it with his assistant in 21 days using a timber-frame modular system with sheets of plywood. It’s clad in lightweight corrugated fibreglass panels and topped by a polycarbonate roof. The project cost £12,500.
Nestle Studio, Mustard Architects
Image: Mustard Architects. Photography: Tim Crocker
This bespoke studio by Mustard Architects is in the corner of a north London garden and was designed to wrap around a silver birch. It is clad in western red cedar, which will grey over time, and the top has a feathered edge to avoid a hard line. It cost £75,000.
Image: Mustard Architects. Photography: Tim Crocker
Split windows offer views across the garden, as well as plenty of natural light - a must for the owner, who uses this space to paint.
Considering a garden office for your property? Let us know by tweeting us @granddesigns or posting a comment on our Facebook page.
