Startup blog TechCrunch recently did a video walkthrough of local search and community site Yelp’s office in San Francisco. Created by Studio O+A (the same guys who did Facebook’s office), this little hub was designed to capture the startup spirit in a fun manner as well as include references to San Francisco (Bike parking, hint, hint!).
Popular internet telephony application Skype’s North American Headquarters sought to set themselves apart from their opponent’s in the Bay area in Palo Alto California. When the project was initiated it was discovered that the site had more to contribute than was originally thought with the hidden high ceilings allowing for an industrial style design, thereby increasing the scope for inventiveness.
The overall effect of the space is one in which people wish to be in thereby increasing the productivity of the workers and improving workplace satisfaction. An outstanding success.
Tech accessory maker Belkin’s headquarters developed by South California based builders HBC looks like a fun place to work. Spanning an area of 80,000 square feet, the office area includes an open ceiling design, systems furniture, private, exterior offices, conference rooms and a 7000 square feet (beautiful) cafeteria and kitchen. Bright lighting and warm welcoming colors lend an informal touch to the place. Some of these image look gorgeous. Take a look.
Platform beds are the much healthier, far more attractive version yet possibly the trend equivalent of the 1970s waterbed. In fact today’s platform beds are outright artful when originating from certain design firms. Furniture designers are turning them into self-sufficient islands, bachelor-ready suites, floating squares, and textured clouds. Beds like these by Italian Presotto, a modular furniture design firm, offers innumerable combinations of texture, style, and color. The firm uses leather or wood, curvilinear or rectangular headboards, floating squares, or massive furniture pieces that seem self-sufficient with night tables and couch-like platforms.
One important concept to consider is the house’s context. Its smooth, seemless skin helps soften its stark, minimalist design, helping it to therefore blend better into its natural setting. One could theorize too that its asymmetrical shape mimics nature well, nature in all of its exquisite imperfections. From the interior, one could also argue, the architect incorporated ample slanted windows to blur the boundaries between the indoors and outdoors, thereby mitigating the psychological difference between.
